UNESCO and Telefónica commit to promoting and implementing the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

UNESCO and Telefónica have signed a Letter of Intent in order to develop joint initiatives that promote and implement the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, approved by the UNESCO General Conference in November 2021.

To this end, various public-private initiatives will be launched, one of which will be the creation of a Business Council for Ibero-America to monitor the Recommendation, which will be co-led by Telefónica, together with UNESCO and other large Ibero-American companies. Its objective will be to promote the development of AI that is ethical and respectful of human rights, through the identification of best practices and the strengthening of technical capacities in ethics and AI, among other actions.

This agreement has been ratified by Trinidad Jiménez, director of Global Strategy for Public Affairs at Telefónica, and by Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO.

For her part, Trinidad Jiménez pointed out: “Telefónica has been one of the first companies in the world to establish AI principles and ethical guidelines for its application by placing people at the centre and guaranteeing respect for human rights in any environment. For this reason, we are very pleased to collaborate with UNESCO with the aim of extending its impact and being able to contribute with our experience to the development of an ethical and inclusive AI for all”.

UNESCO and Telefónica further strengthen their joint commitment and their shared vision of the need to promote AI in the service of people and sustainable development in an ethical manner.