James Manyika, Google’s senior vice president for technology and society, has been appointed co-chair of UN AI Advisory Body.

The United Nations (UN) has appointed Zimbabwe-born James Manyika, senior vice president of Google-Alphabet, president for research, technology and society, as co-chair of its AI advisory body.

Carme Artigas, Spain’s secretary of state for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence is the second co-chair.

The UN announced the AI Advisory Body, stating globally coordinated AI governance is the only way to harness AI for humanity, while addressing its risks and uncertainties, as AI-related applications, algorithms, computing capacity and expertise become more widespread internationally.

“To foster a globally inclusive approach, the UN Secretary-General is convening a multi-stakeholder high-level advisory body on AI to undertake analysis and advance recommendations for the international governance of AI,” said a UN statement.

It added: “Bringing together up to 38 experts in relevant disciplines from around the world, the body will offer diverse perspectives and options on how AI can be governed for the common good, aligning internationally interoperable governance with human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

According to the UN, the body – which will comprise experts from government, private sector and civil society – will engage and consult widely with existing and emerging initiatives and international organisations, to bridge perspectives across stakeholder groups and networks.

It said: “The UN is calling for support to the body’s operations and the Secretariat, based in the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology. Through their support, contributors will strengthen stakeholder cooperation on governing AI in the face of pressing technical breakthroughs, and thereby contribute to better-governed AI globally.”

The announcement comes in the same week that the G7 bloc of countries launched a set of guiding principles and a voluntary code of conduct for AI developers, and US President Joe Biden made an Executive Order establishing new standards for AI safety and security.