In a feature article by Italian financial news outlet Il Sole 24 Ore, UNU Rector Tshilidzi Marwala highlighted the challenges and solutions to overcoming inequality and social risks posed by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.
"By balancing innovation and the protection of fundamental rights, we should prevent AI from becoming a tool of oppression or exclusion, with a concerted effort between national and supranational governments, scientific institutions and businesses, each with specific responsibilities in defining shared standards".
To contribute to these efforts, UNU will be opening the UNU Institute for AI (UNU-AI) in Bologna, Italy in 2025.
Rector Marwala emphasized how "the choice of Bologna, a crossroads of academic tradition and youthful dynamism, is intended to be a sign of how the local context can act as a catalyst for global impact. In addition to cutting-edge research, we need people capable of managing both the technicalities and the social and ethical implications of technology.”
To read the full article (in Italian), visit the Il Sole 24 Ore website.
