The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) are offering a selected group of technical students the opportunity to join a 2-day educational workshop on Responsible AI for peace and security.
- When and Where: 16-17 November 2023, Malmö, Sweden
- Who can apply: PhD students and Master students in AI, robotics and related disciplines in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (e.g. computer science, data science, mechanical engineering) from associated universities (all PhD students funded och affiliated with WASP are welcome to apply)
- How: Student travel expenses and accommodation will be covered by the Promoting Responsible Innovation in AI for Peace and Security initiative
Background
As with the impacts of Artificial intelligence (AI) on people’s day-to-day lives, the impacts for international peace and security include wide-ranging and significant opportunities and challenges. AI can help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but its dual-use nature means that peaceful applications can also be misused for harmful purposes such as political disinformation, cyberattacks, terrorism, or military operations. Meanwhile, those researching and developing AI in the civilian sector remain too often unaware of the risks that the misuse of civilian AI technology may pose to international peace and security and unsure about the role they can play in addressing them.
Against this background, UNODA and SIPRI launched, in 2023, a three-year educational initiative on Promoting Responsible Innovation in AI for Peace and
Security. The initiative, which is supported by the Council of the European Union, aims to support greater engagement of the civilian AI community in mitigating the unintended consequences of civilian AI research and innovation for peace and security.
As part of that initiative, SIPRI and UNODA are organizing a series of capacity building workshops for STEM students (at PhD and Master levels) from associated universities.
These workshops aim to provide the opportunity for up-and-coming AI practitioners to work together and with experts to learn about a) how peaceful AI
research and innovation may generate risks for international peace and security; b) how they could help prevent or mitigate those risks through responsible research and innovation; c) how they could support the promotion of responsible AI for peace and security.
The first workshop will be held in Malmö, Sweden, on 16-17 November 2023 in collaboration with Malmö University and Umeå University.
How to apply
Interested students from associated universities are invited to submit their interest by 10 September with a brief (max. 1 page) letter to boulanin@sipri.org that includes:
- background: nationality, gender identity, education
- academic interest: discipline/subdiscipline (e.g. Computer vision, NPL, machine learning, robotics)
- career aspirations (e.g. research and academia, private sector)
- motivation for joining the workshop
SIPRI and UNODA will select participants based on motivation as well as consideration for diversity (including geographical representation, gender balance,
disciplinary focus, career aspirations). Note that prior knowledge of AI ethics or international peace and security is not a requirement, and no work will be assigned outside of the workshop. Travel expenses, accommodation of the selected students and a group dinner on 16 November 2023 will be covered by the initiative.
All participants who successfully complete the workshops will receive a certificate of thanks from the United Nations.
Picture: Artem Podrez: https://www.pexels.com/sv-se/foto/kreativ-medvetenhet-begrepp-symbol-7048014/
Published: August 28, 2023
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