UN brings together thought leaders in Xi'an to discuss advances in AI and robotics

The United Nations has gathered global thought leaders to discuss AI and human development in the city of Xi'an in northwest China. 

Convened under the leadership of United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, in collaboration with the Government of China and the United Nations Secretariat, the gathering builds on previous dialogues in Cairo and Mexico City. 

Participants explored how advances in embodied AI and robotics are transforming the relationship between humans and machines, while raising new questions about society, culture, and development. 

AMIR SIRAJ, Astrophysicist, Princeton University, "Well, I think it's a wonderful opportunity to hold this meeting in Xi'an. It is in some ways the perfect place because it is the eastern starting point of the Silk Road. This is a critical time for that in terms of where we are with AI development and we need international cooperation and exchange to be able to create the world that will be best for all of humanity. I'm very excited about AI's potential for scientific discovery and for making our lives better as humans."

JOANNE LIM, Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia "China really represents this space in Asia that we really want to learn from given its traditions, given it's also very advanced technology and so we're looking at you know two civilizations, really you know from the past and the future and how it comes together, and this place truly represents that."