UN digital tech agency launches initiative to improve trust in AI agents

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA, July 9 (Reuters) – The United Nation’s agency for digital technologies on Thursday announced a new initiative to improve the trust of artificial intelligence agents, as increasingly autonomous AI systems raise concerns about accountability and human oversight.

AI agents are a new generation of artificial intelligence systems designed to act independently on behalf of users, carrying out tasks ranging from scheduling and purchasing to complex business processes.

While they can improve productivity, they also run the risk of AI agents impersonating people and taking unauthorized decisions, according to the  International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

To address the risks, the ITU said at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva it would establish a Focus Group.

This group will develop frameworks aimed at ensuring AI agents remain identifiable, trustworthy and subject to meaningful human control, particularly in sensitive areas such as financial transactions and critical infrastructure.

“AI agents will soon negotiate, transact and make decisions on our behalf,” said Focus Group Co-Chair Debora Comparin, adding common international foundations were needed to establish who the agents are and how and when they can be trusted.  

The group will be comprised of technical, policy and legal experts and hold its first meeting in Paris in November and its second in Geneva in January.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin)