Hello, everyone. My name is Risa Fujino, and I am an intern here.

As of Saturday, July 25, we have closed applications for the social contribution initiative, the “Kusunoki Project” workshop. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the large number of applications we received. All of us interns are deeply appreciative of the high level of interest and expectations you have shown.

The Kusunoki Project will finally kick off this September. There is still a little time before it begins, but in the meantime, global trends surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) are changing at a dizzying pace. I, too, am learning a great deal and being made to think as I follow these developments every day.

Therefore, over the course of three installments, I would like to focus on the global trends surrounding AI, and share with you how various countries and international organizations perceive AI and what actions they are taking. I hope this will provide you with an opportunity to think about AI.

In recent years, not a day goes by without hearing the term “AI.” Text creation, image generation, search, translation, business support—AI is rapidly making its way into our daily lives and work. “Using AI can shorten tasks that used to take a lot of time.” “AI may drastically change the way we work in the future.” While there are such expectations, questions like the following are also arising simultaneously: “How far will AI’s impact on society spread?” “How should we approach and interact with AI?” For all of you, too, AI is likely becoming an important theme closely tied to your daily decision-making.

Actually, we are not the only ones pondering these questions individually. Currently, governments and international organizations worldwide are actively discussing how to integrate AI into society and under what rules it should be utilized.

AI is beginning to be recognized not merely as a technology for business efficiency, but as an entity that affects the fabric of society as a whole, including education, human rights, the economy, national security, and healthcare. For this reason, dialogues on “how we should approach AI” are being advanced not only by national governments but by the entire international community.

What struck me while engaging in my daily work as an intern is that the world is beginning to focus not just on the performance of AI itself, but on “how to utilize AI within society and under what kind of governance we should coexist with it.” Though I am still in the process of learning, I have often felt that the discussion surrounding AI extends beyond mere technology and encompasses the future shape of society as a whole.

A symbolic example of this is the movement of the United Nations (UN). When you think of the UN, many of you might imagine peacekeeping operations, conflict resolution, or humanitarian aid. Since its establishment in 1945, the UN has held peace and security as its primary mission, but it has subsequently become a forum for discussing universal issues such as human rights, education, development, and the environment. And now, AI is drawing attention as a new global issue.

The UN has the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council as its principal organs. In the General Assembly, member states discuss a wide range of issues affecting the international community as a whole, such as peace, sustainable development, human rights, and the environment. The Security Council deals with matters concerning the maintenance of international peace and security, including conflicts, armed clashes, and terrorism. Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Council engages in ongoing discussions on international cooperation and sustainable development in fields like the economy, society, education, health, and science and technology.

In recent years, AI has become deeply intertwined with all of these areas. Consequently, AI is positioned not just as an issue for a single country or company, but as a theme where the entire international community must share a common direction, leading to active dialogues within the UN regarding governance, ethics, and the ideal state of international cooperation.

It is amidst this trend that the UN’s “Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance” was held in Geneva, Switzerland. Takeo Harada, the Representative of our Institute, participated in this conference and joined dialogues with government officials, companies, and researchers from around the world. After returning to Japan, he shared his impressions and the atmosphere of the event in a blog post. It captures the local atmosphere and awareness of the issues that are hard to convey through the news alone, so if you are interested, we highly encourage you to read it.

Furthermore, as these global dialogues on AI advance, a very humbling event occurred for us interns. The Kusunoki Project was featured in the “AI Dialogue Partnerships Hub” of the UN’s “Global Dialogue on AI Governance” as a practical case study of AI education and capacity building, as well as intergenerational learning, addressing Japan’s shortage of digital talent. When I heard this news, I was extremely delighted, but it also made me feel a deep sense of responsibility.

The Kusunoki Project is not just a place to learn how to use AI. We are making preparations with the hope that it will provide a catalyst for each person to think about “how they will live” and “how they will engage with AI” amidst this massive shift brought about by AI. I myself am learning a great deal every day while being involved in this initiative.

Next time, I plan to discuss the situations in various countries regarding AI. Even when faced with the same AI technology, the intended directions and perspectives vary greatly depending on the country. I hope to share that content with all of you as I continue to learn.

If you find this blog interesting, it will be a great encouragement for my internship. I would be very grateful if you could share it on social media and other platforms.

*Please note that the views expressed in this blog are the personal views of the author and do not represent the official stance of our Institute.

Risa Fujino, Intern Institute for International Strategy and Information Analysis, Inc. (IISIA)