Abstract:
The objective of this article is to identify synergies for two relevant challenges,
which are currently faced by the world community, yet addressed separately: The artificial
intelligence value-loading problem and the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals. First, the challenges and their significance are outlined. Subsequently, opportunities
and risks are discussed to utilize the Sustainable Development Goals to set the values
of an artificial intelligence. History has shown that it is complex to agree on universal
and sufficiently specific human goals. Nevertheless, this is a prerequisite to approach the
artificial intelligence value-loading problem, which is closely linked to artificial intelligence
safety. So far, it has not been considered harnessing the Sustainable Development Goals
in this context. Yet, the Sustainable Development Goals can be seen as the closest and most
comprehensive existing approximation towards common human goals since it is what the
United Nations, i.e. the world community, currently agrees upon. Such an attempt entails
various risks, which are discussed and which are anticipated given that the artificial
intelligence value-loading problem is considered very hard. However, due to the urgency it
is argued here that the Sustainable Development Goals constitute an innovative as well as
promising interim heuristic towards artificial intelligence safety.
