"Let me give an example related to Artificial Intelligence and society." The voice of the German Ursula von der Leyen resonated clearly in the Strasbourg chamber, under the attentive and sharp gaze of MEPs like the Frenchman Jordan Bardella, who could soon have a lot to say and do in the EU as they take power.
The president of the European Commission was outlining the main lines of the political course in her speech on the State of the Union, on September 16, when the time came to address an issue that continues to gain weight and relevance: Artificial Intelligence (AI). And this is how he put it: "In breast cancer screening, mammograms reduce mortality by around 30% to 40% among women who undergo these tests. Early detection is essential. This is where AI can intervene. AI-assisted mammography can identify more cases of cancer and at an earlier stage during screening. And, as a result, more women can survive. Therefore, we need AI for health. But, once again, we must do it the European way. Do I want my doctor to have instant access, through AI, to all the data necessary to make the best diagnostic or therapeutic decision? Yes, of course. But do I want my doctor to be an AI-assisted robot? No, of course I don't want a robot to tell me if I have cancer or not.
Six days later, last Tuesday, another leader spoke from a podium to also give his own example about Artificial Intelligence. It was none other than Donald Trump, president of the American superpower. "Every major new technology brings challenges. However, the people who said we would all be dead in 12 years due to global warming are the same people who now say that AI is going to kill us all, that robots are going to attack us, and that everything is going to be a total disaster."
The positioning of the current White House is clear. What's more, even his tenant took advantage of the fact that all the leaders on the planet were listening to him to announce that he had decided to rename AI as Superintelligence. "AI will officially be called Superintelligence, changing the name, because the use of the word 'artificial' makes it sound fake. It makes it sound fake, and it's not. In fact, it's amazing. From now on, every document in the United States, and hopefully the world, will change to use the term Superintelligence."
And now the good thing follows... The one who has expressly signed up for Trump's initiative has been Xi Jinping, his great rival, no matter how many red carpets the US leader laid out for him upon his arrival in Washington on Wednesday while proclaiming to the four winds his "truly great friendship."
We will never know what is going through the head of the impassive Chinese president, but it is true that these days he has spoken at length with Trump and that one of the issues that the all-powerful president has discussed in enemy territory is that of Artificial Intelligence. Sorry, Superintelligence. Well, this is how it was signed in an announcement made yesterday by the White House, which details that "a United States-China Dialogue on Superintelligence has been enabled to exchange opinions on its risks and benefits", as well as it has been agreed to establish "a bilateral communication channel for incidents", and, finally, to begin using the term SI instead of AI.
Beyond Artificial Intelligence/Superintelligence, Xi and Trump's meeting, held on the sidelines of what is supposed to be the key week of the United Nations, is a clear symbol of the difficulties that the organization is going through. The UN makes great efforts and the more than 140 heads of State and Government gathered in New York have tried to make their voices heard, but, in the end, the major international actors impose their agenda. The meeting between Xi and Trump in Washington confirms that, no matter how much activity there is at the organization's headquarters, the UN remains weakened and paralyzed.
