BEIJING, Dec.25 (China Economic Net) - The 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in global dialogue on digital future and intelligent society governance. The forum featured extensive discussions on artificial intelligence governance, sustainable digital development, and cross-border collaboration, with notable contributions from leading academic institutions including Tsinghua University.

 

The forum, held from December 15-19, 2024, under the theme "Building a Multi-stakeholder Digital Future," attracted over 10,000 participants from 175 countries. UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a video address, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in shaping the digital future.

 

A highlight of the forum was the workshop on "Opportunities and Challenges of Intelligent Society Governance," which brought together leading experts from academia and international organizations. Professor Gong Ke, former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, outlined China's comprehensive approach to building an intelligent society, emphasizing the importance of balancing technological advancement with ethical considerations.

 

"China's intelligent society construction is gradually moving from blueprint to reality, with a strong focus on human-centered development," Professor Gong noted during his keynote speech.

 

Zhou Chaonan, Director of the Management Committee of Tsinghua-Range Joint Institute for Intelligent Society, shared insights from the industry perspective. "We have significantly reduced our data centers' power usage efficiency below national standards," Zhou stated, highlighting their commitment to providing green and sustainable computing infrastructure for the digital society.

 

Sam Daws, Director of Multilateral AI at Oxford University, addressed the environmental implications of AI development. He emphasized that managing AI's energy consumption requires coordinated bilateral and multilateral governance approaches.

 

The educational dimension of AI governance was thoroughly explored. Fang Yan, Principal of Tsinghua University High School, emphasized the need for systematic reform in secondary education to meet the challenges of the intelligent era. "We need to develop specialized learning resources for students' diverse needs, enhance campus intelligent experiences, and transform school governance systems to build capabilities for the intelligent age," Fang explained.

 

Principal Dou Guimei of Tsinghua University Primary School shared innovative approaches to cultivating digital literacy and environmental awareness among students through AI-enabled education.

Kevin C. Desouza from Queensland University of Technology introduced a cognitive computing systems perspective, suggesting that intelligent technologies significantly influence human emotions, value perceptions, and behavioral patterns, ultimately impacting public values.

 

Peng Gang, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University, emphasized the university's commitment to interdisciplinary research in intelligent society governance. "Tsinghua University will continue to promote in-depth research and strengthen international cooperation through platforms like IGF to serve the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind," he stated.

 

The forum also saw the launch of the English edition of "Research on Intelligent Society Development and Governance (2024)," presenting systematic research on intelligent society governance. Professor Su Jun, Dean of the Institute for Intelligent Society Governance at Tsinghua University, highlighted the dual nature of the AI era, describing it as "both the best of times and the worst of times."

 

The series of events organized by Tsinghua University demonstrated China's proactive approach to intelligent society governance, combining theoretical research with practical applications while emphasizing international collaboration in addressing global challenges posed by AI development.

 

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape human society at an unprecedented pace, the forum served as a crucial platform for global stakeholders to collectively address both the opportunities and challenges of an intelligent future.