China News Service, United Nations, April 5 (Xinhua) United Nations Secretary-General Guterres delivered a media speech at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the 5th, saying that he was deeply disturbed by Israel's reported use of artificial intelligence in bombing the Gaza Strip.
Guterres said that in the past six months, Israel’s military operations have brought ruthless death and destruction to the Palestinians in Gaza, killing more than 32,000 people and injuring 75,000, the vast majority of whom were women and child.
Guterres said that there have been recent reports that the Israeli military is using artificial intelligence to identify bombing targets in Gaza, causing a large number of civilian casualties. He was deeply disturbed by this and emphasized that life-and-death decisions should not be left to cold algorithms, and that artificial intelligence should be used as a force for good to benefit the world, rather than waging war and blurring responsibilities at the industrial level.
Guterres said he has been warning for years about the dangers of weaponizing artificial intelligence and undermining the vital role of human agency. He pointed out that information warfare exacerbates trauma, conceals the truth and shirks responsibility. At the same time, denying access to Gaza to international journalists has allowed disinformation and false narratives to flourish.
Guterres said that it will be six months since the current round of conflict between Palestine and Israel broke out. Some 196 humanitarian aid workers were killed in this "deadliest conflict", including 175 United Nations staff. After the brutal killings of seven humanitarian workers at the World Central Kitchen this week, the Israeli government admitted its mistakes and announced disciplinary measures. "But the fundamental problem is not who made the mistake, but the current military strategies and procedures that allow these mistakes to be repeated again and again," he said.
Guterres urged Israel to make practical changes to its operations in Gaza to avoid civilian casualties, and reiterated his urgent call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the unimpeded provision of humanitarian assistance. He emphasized that all resolutions of the Security Council must be implemented and "failure will be unforgivable." (over)