Agenda

International AI Cooperation and Governance Forum 2021
 

Proposed Agenda

Day 1: December 4th 9:00 – 22:00 (GMT+8)

Opening Ceremony

09:00-09:05

Introduction of guest   speakers

YANG Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua   University

09:05-09:10

Welcome remarks

QIU Yong, President of Tsinghua University

09:10-09:15

Welcome remarks

Beate Trankmann, UNDP Resident   Representative in China

09:15-09:25

Opening speech

WANG Yongqing, Vice -chairperson of the 13th National   Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC)

09:25-09:35

Opening Speech

Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Officer-in-Charge of UN   Office of Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology

09:35-09:45

Opening Speech

Andrew   Chi-Chih Yao, Turing Award winner; Academician of Chinese Academy of   Sciences;Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences; Dean of   Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences of Tsinghua   University, and Chair of Academic Committee of I-AIIG

09:45-09:55

Opening Speech

LI Meng, Vice   Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology

09:55-10:05

Opening Speech

XU Xiaolan,   Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

10:05-10:15

Opening Speech

MA Shengkun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Arms Control, the   Ministry of Foreign Affairs

10:15-10:25

Tea   Break

AI TODAY

 

Main Plenary I: To Build a Balanced and   Inclusive AI Governance System

10:25-10:30

Introduction of Guest   Speakers

LIANG Zheng, Vice Dean   of I-AIIG

10:30-10:45

Keynote Speech #1

XUE   Lan, Distinguished   Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Tsinghua University;   Dean of Schwarzman College; Dean of I-AIIG

10:45-11:00

Keynote Speech #2

GONG Ke,   President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations;   Executive Director of Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial   Intelligence Development Strategies; Academic member of I-AIIG

11:00-11:15

Keynote Speech #3

XU Haoliang, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP   Director of Bureau for Policy and Programme Support

11:15-11:30

Keynote Speech #4

Wendell Wallach, Uehiro/Carnegie Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in   International Affairs (CCEIA); Academic Member   of I-AIIG

11:30-11:45

Keynote Speech #5

SU Jun, Dean of the Institute Of Intelligence   Society Governance of Tsinghua University; Director   of Think Tank Center of Tsinghua University; Academic Member of I-AIIG

11:45-12:00

Keynote Speech #6

Rohinton Medhora, President of the Center   for International Governance Innovation

Thematic   Sessions: Opportunities and Challenges AI

15:30-17:00

How   to make global AI governance and digital cooperation mechanisms more   inclusive for small and developing countries, as well as make their voices   heard?

How   to promote equality with the global South via standard setting,   knowledge exchange, capacity building and strengthening digital cooperation?

What   are the typical obstacles for the global South in mobilizing   multi-stakeholder and multi-sectorial cooperation to close the digital   divide?

How can South-South Cooperation help to   ensure no country is left behind and increase the capacity of poorer   countries to regulate and govern AI tech for their own benefit?

Thematic Session #1: Closing Digital   Divide in the   Age of Global Digital Interdependence

With   lower capacity in AI, developing countries are at a greater risk of being   left behind in the digital era, unable to benefit from economic and other   opportunities that AI presents. Addressing this imbalance and ensuring that   all have a voice in the digital future and can manage the associated upside   and downside risks, is essential for developing countries.

Moderator: Violante di Canossa, Chief   Economist, UNDP China

Panelists

Eugenio Vargas Garcia,   Tech Diplomat, Deputy Consul General; Head of Science, Technology, and   Innovation; Focal point for Silicon Valley and the Bay Area innovation   ecosystem; Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco, USA

Rohan Samarajiva, Chairman, LIRNEasia Think Tank (Sri Lanka)

Vasuki Shastry, Associate Fellow, Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham   House

Nanjira Sambuli, Fellow in the Technology and International Affairs Program   at The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Nannan Lundin,   Innovation Counsellor, Swedish Embassy in China

 

 

16:00-17:15

How to realize sustainable AI based on   cooperation on AI governance and ethics, and what is the role of cultures in   this cooperation?

How to improve the problems such as   distrust, and misunderstanding between cultures?

How to increase cross-cultural trust in AI   ethics and governance cooperation between different regions?

Thematic Session #2: Cross-Cultural   Cooperation in AI Ethics and Governance (Co-organized with the Institute of   Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences,   Leverhulme Centre for the Future of   Intelligence of University of Cambridge&Center for AI Governance)

Realizing   sustainable AI development requires international cooperation in defining   governance and ethical standards, especially taking into account different   cultural perspectives. Currently, there are many obstacles to achieving this   goal, such as distrust between cultures and coordination challenges across   regions. This forum will discuss these challenges and explore how to increase   cross-cultural trust in AI ethics and governance cooperation between   different regions.

Moderator: Yi Zeng, Professor at Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chief Scientist   of I-AIIG

Panelists

Seán S. ÓhÉigeartaigh, Program Director, LCFI, University of Cambridge

Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem, Chairperson of the UNESCO Ad-Hoc Expert Group on AI   Ethics

Vincent Müller, Professor, University of Eindhoven

Amandeep Singh Gill, Former Excecutive Director of the Secretariat of   the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation

Mark Findlay, Director   of the Center for AI and Data Governance at Singapore Management   University

Danit Gal,   Former AI Chair of USG Office, and Associate Fellow, LCFI, University of   Cambridge

17:15-17:30

Responsible AI for   SDGs: Progresses and Call for Contribution

ZENG Yi, Professor at Chinese Academy of Sciences, and   Chief Scientist of I-AIIG

19:00 -21:00

How can AI technologies   and innovations be better supported to further enhance technological   solutions on climate change, ranging from enhancing energy efficiency to   disaster relief and reduction?

 

How can we promote interdisciplinary approaches to on tackling   climate change?

 

Thematic Session #3: AI   and Climate Action (co-organized with System Engineering Society of China)

Climate   change remains the most pressing challenge facing humanity. Emerging AI applications   have shown potential to enhance climate solutions. These range from climate   modelling and improving environmental protection, to increasing production   efficiency and decreasing carbon emissions across the value chain. This panel   will examine the critical role these applications have in facilitating   mitigation and adaptation strategies to tackle climate-related issues.

 

Moderator

ZHANG Wei,   UNDP Assistant Resident Representative in China

 

19:00-19:30

Keynote
ZHANG Xiliang, Director of the Institute of   Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University

19:30-21:00

Panelists

WU Libo, Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Big Data,   Fudan University;

Felix Creutzig, Professor of the Mercator Institute of Global   Commons and Climate Change

Sylvain Duranton, Senior Partner and Managing Director of the Boston   Consulting Group; Global Head of BCG Gamma

TIAN Feng, Dean, SenseTime Intelligent Industry Research Institute

Priya   Donti, Co-founder and Chair, Climate Change AI

20:00-22:00

How will AI   affect global strategic stability in the context of changing major-power   relations, and how would this influence the powers that are less competitive   in this area? Will the development of AI trigger new rounds of arms race? How   would middle and small-sized powers react to security risks posed by   AI-enabled military competition?

To improve the governance of AI, is it   possible to develop CBMs to prevent and manage the risks introduced by its   development and deployment? What would be the agreed ethics of AI? Are there   approaches to use AI for good in terms of international security?

Thematic Session #4AI   and International Security (Co-organized with the Center for International   Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University and the Centre for Humanitarian   Dialogue)

This session will discuss how AI   would affect global strategic stability in the context of changing   major-power relations, and how would this influence the powers that are less   competitive in this area, and will share ideas on how to mitigate the   negative impacts brought by AI.

Opening Remarks 20:00-20:10

XIAO Qian,   Deputy Director, CISS

LYU Jinghua,   Northeast Asia Programme Director, HD

Session 1 – Understanding the impact   of AI on global strategic stability 20:10-21:00

Moderator

CHEN Qi,   Professor of International Relations, Tsinghua University; Secretary General,   Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University (CISS)

Speakers

LI Chijiang,   Vice President & Secretary General, China Arms Control and Disarmament   Association

LI Ruishen, Fellow, Center for International Security and   Strategy, Tsinghua University (CISS)

Vadim   Kozyulin, Director, Emerging Technologies and Global Security Project and   Asian Security Project, PIR Center

Heigo   Sato, Professor and Vice Director, the Institute of World Studies, Takushoku   University

Jean-Marc   Rickli,Head of Global and Emerging Risks, Geneva Centre for Security Policy   (GCSP)

Session 2 – Exploring ways to   alleviate AI-related security risks 21:00-21:50

Moderator

Eric Richardson,   Senior Advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

Speakers

ZHU Qichao, Deputy Director and Professor,   Institute for Defense Technology and Strategic Studies, National University   of Defense Technology (NUDT)

R.S.   Panwar, Analyst, Future Warfare; 57th Colonel Commandant of the Corps of   Signals, Indian Army

Barry O’Sullivan, professor   at the School of Computer Science & IT at University College Cork

Paul Scharre, Vice President and Director of Studies, the   Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

 

Wrap Up 21:50-22:00

21:00-22:00

How can we promote   multi-disciplinary research between computer scientists building AI products,   and the social scientists who can understand their consequences?

What are the   consequences of gender-biased AI programs on society, regulation and   governance?

How can governance mechanisms   incentivize transparency in the elimination of bias in AI?

Thematic Session #5: AI   Algorithm and Social Justice

While   AI shows great potential to tackle social challenges, it also poses a wide   range of societal risks, including challenge for labor rights and the risk of   introducing digital discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and other   social groups. It is therefore critical that we develop a framework on how to   manage these challenges brought by AI algorithms. This panel will explore   opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and ways to address and   manage AI induced biases and exclusion with a view to ensuring that AI   applications can benefit everyone in support of inclusive, ethical societies   and the Sustainable Development Goals

Moderator: YU Yang, Assistant Professor, Institute for Interdisciplinary   Information Sciences at Tsinghua University

21:00-21:15

Keynote

CHEN Ling, Director of   the Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance of Tsinghua   University

21:15-22:00

Panelists

Rayid Ghani, Director of the Center for Data Science and Public   Policy, Department of Machine Learning, CMU Heinz School of Information   Systems and Public Policy

CHEN   Qiufan, Fiction   Author

Daniel   Freund, Assistant Professor of Operations Management, MIT Sloan School of   Management

Birat Lekhak, Programme and Partnerships   Specialist at UN Women, UN Woman China

 


Day 2 December 5th 08:30 – 18:00 GMT+8

The Future   of AI

Policy and governance discussions usually happen   after a technology has matured. This lag in regulatory action not only   hinders governance at the nascent stage, but also limits policymakers’   understanding of technology as it develops. The second day of the 2021 Forum   will discuss frontier technologies as a means of foresight to aid   policymakers in preparing for future challenges. To bring in new   perspectives, we will also engage youth who will be leading AI innovation and   its governance in the future.

Main   Plenary II: Frontier Technologies in Artificial Intelligence and Governance

08:30-08:35

Introduction of Guest   Speakers

SUN   Maosong, Tenured   professor at the Department of Computer Science and Technology of Tsinghua   University; Executive Assistant Dean of the Institute for Artificial   Intelligence of Tsinghua University; Member of Management Committee of I-AIIG

08:35-08:55

Keynote Speech #1

Susan   Athey, Member of the National Academy of Sciences; Member of American Academy   of Arts and Sciences; John Bates Clark Medal Winner; Economics of Technology   Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business;Associate Director of   Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI)

08:55-09:15

Keynote Speech #2

Yolanda Gil, former President of the Association for the   Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI); Academic Member of I-AIIG

09:15-09:35

Keynote Speech #3

ZHANG Bo, Academician of Chinese Academy of   Sciences; Honor Director of Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Tsinghua   University; Academic Member of I-AIIG

09:35-09:55

Keynote Speech #4

GAO Wen, Academician of Chinese Academy of   Engineering; Director of Peng Cheng Lab; Professor of Peking University;   Academic Member of I-AIIG

9:55-10:15

Keynote Speech #5

Harry   Shum, Foreign Member of the National Academy of Engineering; Foreign Fellow   of Royal Academy of Engineering; Adjunct Professor of Tsinghua University;   Former Executive Vice President of Microsoft Corporation

10:15-10:35

Keynote Speech #6

Ya-qin Zhang, Foreign Academician of   Chinese Academy of Engineering; Dean   of the Institute for AI Industry Research at Tsinghua University; Academic Member of   I-AIIG

10:35-10:40

Tea Break

10:40-12:40

What new risks and challenges can companies encounter when   integrating AI technology?

How should companies'   internal compliance system be strengthened?

How can companies achieve   sustainable development under current situation?

Thematic Session #6:   Global Digital Governance and Sustainable Enterprise Development(Co-organized   with the

Institute for AI Industry Research   of Tsinghua University)

Countries all over the world have introduced   relevant laws and regulations to supervise digital security and strengthen   the governance of the digital economy and artificial intelligence.   Enterprises, especially multinational enterprises, face different laws and   regulations on data governance in different countries. In this regard, the   session will discuss howcompanies, particularly multinational companies,   should strengthen the construction of internal compliance systems to achieve sustainable development.

Moderator: Wei-Ying   Ma, Huiyan Chair Professor, Tsinghua University; Chief Scientist of the   Institute for AI Industry Research of Tsinghua University

 

10:40-11:40

Panelists

Keynote Speech

XIA Huaxia, Vice President & Chief Scientist at Meituan

QIN Yao, Vice   President of AI Industry Development of Huawei Strategy Department of Huawei

TAO Dacheng, Director of   the JD Explore Academy and a Senior Vice President of JD.com

SONG Jiqiang,Vice   President, Intel Labs, Director of Intel Labs China

 

11:40-12:40

Panelists

Bill   HUANG, CEO&Founder, CloudMinds Inc.

XU   Jian, Chief Ecosystem Officer, Horizon Robotics

SHEN   Weixing, Professor and Dean of School of Law at Tsinghua University, Dean of   the Tsinghua University Institute of AI and Law.

MENG   Qingguo, Director for Tsinghua University-China Electronics Corporation Joint   Institute for Data Governance Engineering; Director of Center for Internet Governance at Tsinghua   University

Plenary Session III: The Future of Governance in the Metaverse

The development   of the Metaverse has sparked a fierce   examination of the evolution of human society brought by   disruptive technologies. The relationships between   individuals and sovereignties, relations between   sovereignties themselves, and the individual human   experience all come under the scanner as we   construct and shape the Metaverse. This session will serve as   a thought experiment examining future challenges on AI &   Metaverse governance. It will cut through issues from how   we form  individual rights, citizenship   and sovereignty in the virtual space, the “hardware” or   infrastructure required to maintain the metaverse, to the   “software” needed for it to operate such as modified social   contracts and regulatory frameworks. This session   will act as a cross-sectoral, inter-disciplinary   conversation, involving both private and public sectors and also bring in   the next generation of AI leaders to share their unique   perspectives on the future of our digital world.

 

14:00-14:15

Opening Introduction

 

Moderator

ZHANG Wei, UNDP   Assistant Resident Representative in China

YU Yang, Assistant Professor, Institute of Cross-Information,   Tsinghua University

14:15-16:00

What should the   governance structure within the metaverse look like? Who is responsible for   metaverse governance?

Who has the right to   define ethics and principles within the metaverse?

What is the   relationship between the metaverse and the real-world? How to balance the   technological gap between the Global North and South in the construction of   the metaverse?

How to balance future tension and conflict between the virtual world and the   real world?

The future of   Governance in the Metaverse

Panelists

DUAN Weiwen, Director of the Academy of Philosophy of Science,   Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

SHEN Yang, Director of New Media Research Center, Tsinghua   University

WEI Qing, CTO of Microsoft (China)

YU Chen, Co-founder and President of YeePay

ZENG Yi, Professor at Chinese   Academy of Sciences, and Chief Scientist of I-AIIG

ZI min, bilibili KOL

Zeno   He, NVIDIA Omniverse BD

SONG Ting,   AI and Crypto Artist

 

Side   Session IV: Youth Voices and the Future of Artificial Intelligence for SDGs

16:00-16:45

Youth and AI for   Sustainable Future

Five winning teams of   U&AI each have five minutes to present their proposals;

Summary video of 2021 U&AI Camp

16:00-18:00

What are the societal, especially ethical challenges for   applying AI to social development?

How to promote responsible and trustworthy AI development   for a sustainable society?

Thematic Session #7: Artificial Intelligence and Social   Development (co-organized with theInstitute for Ethics in   Artificial Intelligence of Technical University of Munich)

While AI can drive social   development, it also poses risks and challenges in its application. How to   maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing its potential ethical risks is a   critical area of AI governance to ensure healthy development of the   technology, both in the short and long-term. This panel will explore how to   promote responsible and trustworthy AI development for a sustainable society.

Moderator

ZHU Xufeng, Professor,Executive Associate Dean of the School of   Public Policy and Management of Tsinghua University; Executive Dean, Institute for Sustainable Development Goals   of Tsinghua University; Deputy Director of the Science & Technology   Development and Governance Center of Tsinghua University

 

16:10-16:30

Keynote 1

Christoph Lutge, Director of the TUM Institute for Ethics in Artificial   IntelligenceProfessor of Business   Ethics at Technical University of Munich

 

16:30-16:50

Keynote   2

ZENG Yi, Professor at Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chief Scientist of I-AIIG

 

16:50-18:00

Panelists

 

Sergey Kamolov, head of the Department   of Public Governance of Moscow Institute of International Relations

Tokuchi Tastsuhito, Executive Director at the Center for Industrial   Development and Environmental Governance at Tsinghua University and former   Managing Director at CITIC Securities Co., Ltd.

JIA   Xiaofeng,  Director of Data Management   Department, Beijing Big Data Center


Agenda Plenary Sessions Elaborated

· Constructing a Balanced and Inclusive AI Governance Framework

Present AI governance faces many challenges in terms of international cooperation, cross-cultural distrust, insecurity, and intensifying global issues. In this plenary session, all issues will be addressed to formulate a comprehensive AI governance framework that promotes sustainable development. UNDP will be leading three thematic sessions: AI & South-South Cooperation, AI & Climate Change, and AI & Digital Equality.

 

· Technology-led AI Governance

AI governance must be enacted with a clear understanding of current cutting-edge technologies and industries. Currently, regulations to oversee AI technologies are only developed after they have already matured and popularized. This late approach makes it difficult to devise a comprehensive governance system that should be embedded into the early stages of developing AI technology. It is unintelligible to discuss AI governance without intellectual input from technological experts. This plenary session convenes current technical and industrial leaders in artificial intelligence to examine significant perspectives in the future of AI governance.

 

· Metaverse Governance

2021 saw the concept of the metaverse, a digital universe parallel to reality, reach the popular understanding. Metaverse represents the first holistic view of developed technologies, thus elevating the increasing tension between the reality and virtual world. This plenary session will discuss the governance of both ruling principles within metaverse and its relationship with the real-world. The plenary session aims to produce a one-pager that will be co-published by Tsinghua University and UNDP including significant aspects of metaverse governance.

 

Background

About Institute for AI International Governance of Tsinghua University: The Institute for AI International Governance of Tsinghua University (I-AIIG)) is a university-level research institute approved by Tsinghua University in April 2020. Leveraging Tsinghua 's existing resources and interdisciplinary advantages in AI and international governance, I-AIIG conducts research on major theoretical issues and policy needs of AI international governance, aims to enhance Tsinghua University's global academic influence and policy leadership in this field, and provides intellectual support for China's active participation in AI international governance.


About United Nations Development Programme: UNDP is the largest development agency of the United Nations working in around 170 countries and territories and the world to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.