Session
Organizers
Institute for Intelligent Society Governance, Tsinghua University
GONG Ke, Former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations; Executive Director, Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies; Former President of Nankai University [onsite]
Sam Daws, Senior Advisor, Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, Oxford University, and Director of Multilateral AI [onsite]
Kevin C. Desouza, Professor of Business, Technology, and Strategy, School of Business, Queensland University of Technology [onsite]
Jianing MI, Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Public Administration [online]
RU Peng, Professor, School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University [online]
Poncelet Ileleji, CEO, Jokkolabs Banjul/NRI Gambia, Africa [online]
Yuming WEI, Assistant Professor, Institute for Intelligent Society Governance, Tsinghua University
Peng RU, Professor, School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University
Tianpei REN
1. No Poverty
3. Good Health and Well-Being
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Targets: The advent of intelligent technologies has the potential to significantly contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enhancing the governance of societies. Intelligent society governance refers to the integration of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and Internet of Things, into decision-making processes and public administration systems. Here, we will elaborate on how intelligent society governance can contribute to the SDG objectives. SDG 1/3/4/8/9/11/16: Intelligent society governance enhances data-driven decision making by leveraging advanced data analytics to extract valuable insights from vast amounts of data. By analyzing social, economic, and environmental data, decision-makers can gain a comprehensive understanding of complex issues and develop evidence-based policies. This data-driven approach improves the efficiency and effectiveness of decision-making, leading to better-informed strategies for achieving SDG targets. SDG 1/3/4/5/10: Intelligent systems can optimize resource allocation and utilization, which is crucial for sustainable development. By utilizing predictive algorithms and machine learning techniques, governments can identify areas of need, allocate resources accordingly, and prioritize interventions where they are most needed. This targeted resource allocation ensures that limited resources are utilized efficiently, maximizing the impact of initiatives aimed at SDG goals, such as poverty reduction, healthcare provision, and education access. SDG 8/9/11/16: Intelligent society governance can facilitate greater citizen participation and engagement in decision-making processes. Through digital platforms and online tools, governments can gather public input, solicit feedback, and enable citizens to actively contribute to policy formulation and implementation. This participatory approach fosters inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in governance, aligning with the SDG principle of leaving no one behind. SDG 1/3/16: Intelligent technologies can enable the development of early warning systems for various challenges, including natural disasters, climate change impacts, and public health crises. By integrating real-time data, sensor networks, and predictive analytics, governments can proactively identify and respond to potential risks. This proactive approach enhances resilience, minimizes the negative impacts of emergencies, and contributes to SDG targets related to climate action, disaster risk reduction, and public health. In conclusion, intelligent society governance offers significant potential for advancing the SDGs. By leveraging data-driven decision-making, optimizing resource allocation, promoting citizen engagement, and enabling early warning systems, intelligent technologies contribute to more effective and efficient governance, ultimately driving progress towards the SDG objectives.
Hybrid meeting
In the nascent phase of the latest technological revolution, transformative technologies like artificial intelligence are unleashing significant energy. They are continually fostering the emergence of new academic frontiers, technological domains, and innovative modalities. These technologies are closely integrated with the socio-economic developmental needs, propelling a transformative shift towards an intelligent society. The rapid pace of technological advancement not only challenges traditional knowledge and authority structures but also sparks global debates and discussions on moral ethics, data security, privacy protection, and energy consumption.
This session, grounded in a global perspective, deeply explores the latest trends in Intelligent Society Governance, the primary challenges faced, and the future opportunities from the aspect of government international cooperation. We welcome multi-stakeholders to speak on issues related to institutional adjustments, policy tool transformations, and value orientations in Intelligent Society Governance. Here, we urge participants to share their wisdom and experiences and to engage in deep discussions on the potential challenges and opportunities on the path of Intelligent Society Governance from an international viewpoint. Additionally, pilot experiments and grassroots innovations are also focal topics, pointing toward a more sensitive, diverse, and open approach to Intelligent Society Governance.
The session is dedicated to fostering collective reflection among nations on coordinating the advancement of artificial intelligence technology with public values, and promoting a fair, sustainable, and more humane future for an intelligent society. By facilitating cross-national and interdisciplinary exchanges, the session aims to outline future action directions for practitioners while calling on global researchers to delve deeper into shaping an intelligent and trustworthy society.
Report
[AI Governance] Professor Gong Ke approached the analysis of the Chinese government’s blueprint for constructing an intelligent society from four dimensions: objective requirements, overall planning, policy frameworks, and major policy initiatives. Ru Peng noted that the advent of intelligent societies has transformed traditional public governance models in terms of governance subjects, interfaces, and scopes.
[AI Challenges] Sam Daws highlighted that while AI offers significant benefits for environmental conservation, its substantial energy consumption cannot be overlooked. Mi Jianing pointed out that the development of generative artificial intelligence presents fundamental epistemological challenges to the foundations of human society, significantly affecting the production of human knowledge, cognitive models, and social structures.
[AI Opportunities] Kevin C. Desouza believed that the development of intelligent societies can be further understood from the perspective of cognitive computing systems. Poncelet Ileleji pointed out that human-centeredness involves developing AI models, improving AI governance structures, and applying them in areas such as poverty eradication and climate change mitigation, based on trust and respect for human values.
Addressing these challenges requires not only the efforts and investments of individual nations but also the deep coordination of bilateral and multilateral governance with national-level strategies.
In the future, there will be an increased focus on human-centered approaches, promoting a balance between technology and ethics, development and security, thereby providing Chinese experience in enhancing human welfare through intelligent technologies.
Opportunities and Challenges of Intelligent Society Governance (Day 0 Event #172)
On December 15th, the academic seminar titled “Opportunities and Challenges in Intelligent Social Governance” was successfully held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, as part of the 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum.
This seminar was jointly organized by the Institute for Intelligent Society Governance and Center for Science, Technology & Education Policy of Tsinghua University, Tsinghua-Range Joint Institute for Intelligent Society, with a parallel session at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Distinguished guests included Gong Ke, Former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, Executive Director, Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies; Former President of Nankai University; Sam Daws, Senior Advisor of Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative and Director of Multilateral AI, University of Oxford; Mi Jianing, Professor at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Public Administration; Kevin C. Desouza, Professor at the School of Business, Queensland University of Technology Business School; Ru Peng, Professor at the Tsinghua University; and Poncelet Ileleji, former Chair of the Gambia Information Technology Association. The seminar was moderated by Wei Yuming, Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute for Intelligent Society Governance at Tsinghua University.
Professor Gong Ke approached the analysis of the Chinese government’s blueprint for constructing an intelligent society from four dimensions: objective requirements, overall planning, policy frameworks, and major policy initiatives. He provided a comprehensive explanation for the global attendees at the seminar. Professor Gong emphasized that the construction of an intelligent society in China is progressively moving from a blueprint to reality. In the future, there will be an increased focus on human-centered approaches, promoting a balance between technology and ethics, development and security, thereby providing Chinese experience in enhancing human welfare through intelligent technologies.
Professor Sam Daws focused on the impact of artificial intelligence technology on environmental protection, highlighting that while AI offers significant benefits for environmental conservation, its substantial energy consumption cannot be overlooked. Addressing these challenges requires not only the efforts and investments of individual nations but also the deep coordination of bilateral and multilateral governance with national-level strategies.
Professor Mi Jianing delivered his remarks via a live link to the Tsinghua University session in Beijing. He pointed out that the development of generative artificial intelligence presents fundamental epistemological challenges to the foundations of human society, significantly affecting the production of human knowledge, cognitive models, and social structures. He further articulated the ten foundational epistemological issues of the generative AI era, covering aspects such as the production of knowledge, reshaping of human nature, human-machine collaboration, innovation in decision-making, social restructuring, interdisciplinary integration, and value standards.
Professor Kevin C. Desouza believes that the development of intelligent societies can be further understood from the perspective of cognitive computing systems. Cognitive computing systems represent an interdisciplinary field that integrates intelligent technology, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology. These systems can profoundly impact public value by influencing human emotions, perceived values, and actual behaviors.
Professor Ru Peng delivered his remarks via a live connection to the Tsinghua University session in Beijing. He noted that the advent of intelligent societies has transformed traditional public governance models in terms of governance subjects, interfaces, and scopes. It is crucial to pay close attention to the roles played by anthropomorphic technological entities, human-machine interaction systems, and the macro “technology-society-policy” systems. To better address the governance challenges of intelligent societies, the Chinese government has placed a strong emphasis on standardization as a critical tool for governing intelligent societies, actively exploring this approach in areas such as generative artificial intelligence, smart healthcare, and smart judiciary.
Poncelet Ileleji delivered his remarks online, emphasizing a human-centered approach to the development of artificial intelligence. He pointed out that human-centeredness involves developing AI models, improving AI governance structures, and applying them in areas such as poverty eradication and climate change mitigation, based on trust and respect for human values. He further introduced a research report published by the United Nations, “Governing AI for Humanity,” underscoring the need to promote diversity within the composition of the United Nations’ high-level advisory bodies on AI, thereby better serving the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In his concluding remarks, the onsite moderator Wei Yuming stated that the development of artificial intelligence technology is driving social transformations at an unprecedented pace, bringing new opportunities to humanity while also introducing complex emerging risks. He expressed hope that this forum would serve as a catalyst for collaboration across global political, industrial, academic, and research communities to embrace the trends of an intelligent society and collectively deepen the research on its governance.
The 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum was hosted by the government of Saudi Arabia and held in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from December 15th to 19th. The theme of the forum was “Building a Multistakeholder Digital Future”. The forum attracted over 10,000 participants from 175 countries and organized more than 300 sessions, including opening and closing ceremonies and open forums. The “Opportunities and Challenges in Intelligent Social Governance” academic seminar was part of Tsinghua University’s team’s third consecutive participation in the IGF, where they hosted events centered on intelligent social governance.