UN AI Resolution: A Global Milestone with Local Lessons for Bangladesh

The recent adoption of the UN AI Modalities Resolution (A/RES/79/325) is more than just a global headline—it’s a critical development that holds significant implications for Bangladesh’s own journey with artificial intelligence. This resolution aims to build a framework for AI governance that is ethical, safe, and truly beneficial for everyone, especially for countries in the Global South. But for it to succeed, it must overcome three key challenges: ensuring independence, securing resources, and guaranteeing inclusive participation.

These are not just theoretical concerns. As experts like Vidisha Mishra and Nicole Manger from the Global Solutions Initiative and Amaj Rahimi-Midani of Poseidon-AI point out, the UN’s new mechanisms—the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance—could fail if they are co-opted by powerful states or private interests. For Bangladesh, which is rapidly digitizing and embracing AI, this serves as a powerful reminder: our voice and our unique needs must be heard on the world stage.

Why This Matters for Bangladesh

AI presents a double-edged sword for a nation like ours. On one hand, it offers immense opportunities for growth in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and finance. On the other hand, the risks are real and immediate. Consider the challenges of “general-purpose AI,” which are designed to perform a wide range of tasks and are central to modern tools like ChatGPT. As Cambridge AI ethics researcher Kristina Khutsishvili notes, these models are probabilistic and can produce unpredictable harms, such as misinformation and algorithmic bias.

For Bangladesh, this means we must not only adopt AI but also govern it with a clear-eyed understanding of its risks. Our national policies need to be adaptive, balancing the promotion of innovation with robust safeguards. This is where the UN resolution becomes a guide and a call to action.

Independence: We must ensure that our own AI governance discussions, whether at a national or a multi-stakeholder level, are not swayed by a handful of powerful corporations or foreign agendas. Our policies should reflect our national values and priorities.

Resources: The resolution’s reliance on voluntary funding highlights a global issue: the need for sustained and equitable investment in AI capacity. For Bangladesh, this underscores the importance of not just attracting foreign investment but also building our own, homegrown talent and infrastructure to close the digital divide.

Inclusive Participation: This is arguably the most crucial point for us. The UN’s new Global Dialogue is designed to be a platform for all countries, especially those from the developing world, to have an equal footing. Bangladesh, with its burgeoning tech ecosystem, must actively engage in this forum. We need to send our experts, policymakers, and civil society leaders to contribute our unique perspectives, ensuring that global AI standards are not exclusively set by the West. Our experience with local challenges—from managing the impacts of climate change to addressing social and economic disparities—is invaluable for shaping truly universal AI governance.

In conclusion, the UN’s AI Modalities Resolution is a global milestone. But its promise will only be realized if countries like Bangladesh step up to the plate. We have a chance to not just be a consumer of AI technology but a co-creator of its future. By championing inclusive, accountable, and context-sensitive AI governance, we can ensure that this technology serves our people, protects our interests, and contributes to a safer, more equitable global digital future.