THE general assembly of the United Nations has adopted a Chinese-sponsored and US-backed resolution urging wealthy nations to close the widening gap with developing countries in access to the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI).

Approved on Monday, the resolution follows the March 21 adoption of the first UN resolution on AI spearheaded by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 countries including China.

It gave global support to the international effort to ensure that AI is “safe, secure and trustworthy” and that all nations can take advantage of it.

China’s UN ambassador Fu Cong told reporters on Monday that the two resolutions, both approved by consensus but non-binding, were complementary, with the US measure being “more general” and the just adopted one focusing on “capacity-building.”

He called the Chinese resolution, which had over 140 sponsors, “great and far-reaching” and said: “We’re very appreciative of the positive role that the US has played in this whole process.”

The Chinese ambassador, however, strongly criticised a proposed US Treasury Department rule, announced on June 21, that would restrict and monitor US investments in China for AI, computer chips and quantum computing.

“We are firmly opposed to these sanctions,” Mr Fu said. China doesn’t believe the rule will be “helpful to the healthy development of the AI technology per se and will, by extension, divide the world in terms of the standards and in terms of the rules governing AI.”

The Chinese resolution calls on the international community “to provide and promote a fair, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory business environment,” from AI design and development to its use.

Insisting that the military dimension of AI is also very important, Mr Fu said that China is currently taking part in negotiations in Geneva on controlling lethal autonomous weapons.