Hello from Yifan, your #techasia host this week. I’m sending this newsletter after a flight to New York, where I’ll be participating in a Climate Economics Journalism Fellowship hosted by New York University.
The fellowship will take place as world leaders gather in the city to discuss the most urgent global issues at the annual United Nations General Assembly. Leaders of the UN’s 193 member states will begin general debate on Tuesday of next week, in which delegates from each country will address the international community.
The escalating climate crisis has been a key topic brought up by world leaders in their addresses in recent years and is expected to continue to headline this year’s assembly.
As our world goes through great technological transformation, much of the discussion has been focused on how emerging technologies could shape our economies. But their impact on climate is often overlooked, such as AI’s hidden cost. The rapidly growing technology has an insatiable appetite for energy and a growing carbon footprint that could lead to the acceleration of wildfires, floods, extreme weather and all of the dangers that come with climate change.
However, it is unlikely that AI’s climate cost will be a top priority for global leaders to discuss at the UN General Assembly this year as governments around the world are still grappling with the basics on how to govern artificial intelligence, including issues of misinformation and copyright infringement arising with generative AI.
No global framework exists to govern this potentially revolutionary technology, but a few countries, particularly the US and China, are racing to set governance standards. Can the two AI superpowers reach a certain consensus on how to oversee the powerful new tool at the General Assembly? Let’s wait and see.
TikTok’s day in court
Monday was perhaps one of TikTok’s most important days as it laid out its argument in front of three judges at US Court of Appeals for District Columbia Circuit. The ByteDance-owned app aims to overturn a sell-or-ban bill passed by Washington earlier this year. TikTok argues that forced divestiture under Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act is unconstitutional because it violates American users’ rights under First Amendment and equal protection under law guarantee.
However judges weighed whether constitutional rights should be extended due TikTok’s Chinese ownership & potential national security threats posed by app.
Curbing chip technology exports
US & Japan are nearing deal after intense talks over restricting tech exports China’s chip industry even Tokyo fears retaliation Beijing.
Washington wants unveil new export controls before November presidential election including measure forcing non-US companies obtain licenses sell products China help its tech sector.
Japan & US have discussed how limit impact any Chinese retaliation Washington allies seek counter Beijing.
US wants make harder China obtain critical chipmaking tools export controls designed close loopholes existing rules add restrictions reflect progress Huawei other Chinese groups chip production past two years.
Restrictions would biggest impact ASML Netherlands Tokyo Electron Japan.
Asia tech’s energy bill
Economies across Asia attempting seize once-in-a-generation opportunities supply chains shift away from China but do they have enough clean energy sustain economic growth combat global warming while attracting investment chips artificial intelligence data centres other technologies?
Taiwan South Korea boast world second- third-largest semiconductor industries after US while Japan working regain lost chip prowess all three economies remain heavy users fossil fuels Japan Taiwan actually increasing reliance since 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Who’s missing?
Majority world absent discussion govern AI international level
Out 193 UN member states 118 not participated interregional AI governance initiatives OECD G20 principles latest Seoul Ministerial Declaration according report released Thursday UN Secretary-General High-level Advisory Body Artificial Intelligence
But report released just days before country leaders gather UN General Assembly New York found Canada France Germany Italy Japan UK US participated leading international AI governance initiatives cited
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