Autonomous AI Agents are Changing the Economy. The UN Discusses Risks and the Need for Regulation

Виктор Сизов World
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According to the UN News Service, artificial intelligence technologies are transitioning from experimental projects to widespread application across various fields. The second edition of the report prepared by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Deloitte emphasizes that, despite the focus on generative models, more significant changes are occurring with autonomous AI agents capable of planning and coordinating actions with minimal human intervention.

These systems are already being actively implemented in areas such as healthcare, logistics, finance, and public administration, where they are integrated into workflows and interact with one another. However, as AI autonomy increases, the need for human oversight grows, as highlighted by the report's authors.

Applications of AI

The report notes that AI is already demonstrating significant results in key sectors.

Increasing Risks

With the growth of AI capabilities, new risks also emerge. According to the World Economic Forum, labor market transformation by 2030 could affect around 91 million jobs, while the creation of 170 million new positions is expected, leading to a net gain of 79 million.

The environmental consequences are becoming increasingly evident: in 2024, data centers consumed about 1.5% of the world's electricity, and this figure could double by 2030. A large data center can consume as much energy as 100,000 households, making infrastructure resilience critically important.

Digital Sovereignty

Global governments are striving for digital sovereignty by investing in their own computing capacities and technological components. New initiatives in this area view AI as a strategic resource, equal in importance to energy systems, and the decisions made regarding its development are becoming matters of public policy.

The report's authors emphasize: the benefits of AI are not automatic. Its impact on society depends on the fairness of technology access distribution and its responsible use. To prevent fragmentation and inequality, closer coordination between government structures, business, the scientific community, and civil organizations is necessary.

Photo on the main page is illustrative: © Unsplash/A. Геранрекаб.
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