In Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil, leaders of the G20 countries reached a significant consensus this Friday, deciding to collaborate in combating misinformation and establishing guidelines for the future development of artificial intelligence. This marks the first time in G20 history that misinformation has been explicitly recognized, calling for digital platforms to enhance transparency and accountability.
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João Brandão, the Digital Policy Secretary of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, told the Associated Press that G20 representatives emphasized the importance of digital platforms adhering to relevant policies and legal frameworks. During the meeting, member countries also agreed on the development of artificial intelligence, advocating for its use "ethically, transparently, and responsibly," ensuring human oversight in applications and compliance with privacy and human rights laws.
Renata Mieri, a consultant for the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology Innovation, mentioned that despite some disagreements between countries like China and the United States, a consensus was ultimately reached that wealthy countries should collaborate to reduce global imbalances in AI development. Mieri expressed hope that these points would be reflected in the upcoming leaders' summit declaration, with South Africa continuing to advance these issues in subsequent work.
The backdrop of this meeting is also closely related to the recent ban by Brazil's Supreme Court on the social media platform X. The owner of X, Elon Musk, has been in a months-long dispute with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, primarily focused on whether the platform should restrict accounts of far-right activists accused of undermining Brazilian democracy. Musk has even referred to de Moraes as a "dictator," further straining their relationship.
Currently, Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the G20, and President Lula has made the concerns of developing countries, such as reducing inequality and reforming multilateral institutions, the core agenda of this meeting. Through this gathering, the G20 countries aim to form an effective cooperation mechanism in the face of challenges from misinformation and artificial intelligence, jointly maintaining the health and fairness of cyberspace.
Key Points:
🌍 The G20 countries acknowledge misinformation for the first time, calling for digital platform transparency and responsibility.
🤖 Guidelines for AI development are set to ensure ethical, transparent, and human rights protection.
🇧🇷 Brazilian President Lula emphasizes the importance of reducing inequality and reforming multilateral institutions.