Abstract:The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence is the first-ever global international instrument for regulating the scientific ethics of artificial intelligence (AI). It puts forward that the core value of artificial intelligence ethics should always be the protection of human rights, human freedom and dignity. Through introduction of the background, process, content, significance, function and highlights of its formulation, this paper probes into the implications of its ethical norms on the governance over ethics of science and technology in China. The study found that the Recommendation, in the form of soft law, has consolidated viewpoints at the international level based on the dynamic development characteristics of artificial intelligence, and established a dynamic and inclusive framework of AI-related ethical issues, through the proposal of values, principles and policy actions guiding artificial intelligence in education, science, culture and other fields. The policy implementation and legislation of the governance over ethics of science and technology in China can be further refined by referring to the Recommendation, so as to realize the coordinated governance via both the hard and soft laws over ethics in science and technology, and contribute China’s wisdom and strength to benefiting mankind through artificial intelligence.

 

Keywords:UNESCO; The Recommendation; Human Rights; Artificial Intelligence (AI); Scientific and Technological Ethics

 

 

*About the authors: Zhu Liyu, Professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China, Secretary-general of the Academic Committee of the Center for Human Rights Studies, and an expert of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO under the Ministry of Education; Hu Xiaofan, Lecturer, School of Foreign Studies, China University of Political Science and Law, J.D., Vanderbilt University, U.S.