On February 24, Tsinghua University’s 249th Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture took place at the Library Auditorium, featuring a distinguished speaker Tshilidzi Marwala, who serves as both Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN). His lecture, titled “AI, Sustainable Development, and the Future,” was moderated by Xiao Qian, Vice Dean of the Institute for AI International Governance of Tsinghua University (I-AIIG).
Throughout his presentation, Marwala shared his thoughts on how UNU is harnessing AI to drive progress toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across critical areas such as health, water, climate, and global governance. “When properly deployed, AI can dramatically boost productivity and improve decision-making processes, bringing substantial benefits to sustainable development,” Marwala stated. However, he also candidly addressed the inherent challenges associated with AI, including model uncertainty, algorithmic instability, and cognitive biases.
Marwala articulated a comprehensive approach, stating that maximizing AI’s potential for sustainable development requires coordinated actions across multiple fronts. These include helping broader society adapt to the AI era, encouraging innovation in the AI industry, establishing related laws and regulations, and drafting up governance structures for AI. Moreover, he stressed the importance of balancing various stakeholders’ interests to ensure that AI development aligns with shared human values. “As we push forward with technological progress, we must ensure that AI development reflects the collective values of humanity,” he added.
The lecture was followed by an engaging Q&A session where faculty and students posed questions on topics such as AI’s role in sustainable development, AI ethics, and the UN’s efforts in AI governance. Marwala answered each inquiry with thoughtful responses, highlighting the importance of ethical considerations in AI’s integration into global policies.
As the event drew to a close, Liang Zheng, Vice Dean of I-AIIG, honored Marwala with a commemorative plaque in recognition of his participation in the Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture.
In a ceremonial moment, Marwala and Xue Lan, Dean of I-AIIG, jointly inaugurated a UNU Hub focused on ethical and responsible AI development. This new initiative will focus on deepening collaboration between Tsinghua University and UNU in the fields of scientific research, talent development, and conference activities, with the goal of sharing the outcomes of their cooperative efforts.
