Kishore Mahbubani, lauded in Hong Kong, warns of AI fake news flood
Former president of UN Security Council calls for protection of integrity in education as he receives honorary doctoral degree
A former top diplomat from Singapore has warned of a flood of fake information in the era of artificial intelligence and called for the protection of integrity in education, as he was conferred an honorary doctoral degree in Hong Kong.
Professor Kishore Mahbubani, a renowned specialist in geopolitics and past president of the United Nations Security Council, issued the call to action on Friday as he received the award from the Education University of Hong Kong.
He was among six distinguished figures, including prominent Chinese economist and former World Bank vice-president Professor Justin Yifu Lin, who were conferred honorary doctorates or fellowships by the university in recognition of their contributions to advancing education and dedication to public service.
In his acceptance speech, Mahbubani said: “While generative AI has great potential, it is also posing many issues in the field of education, including disseminating false information and potentially negatively impacting students’ cognitive development.
“As it becomes increasingly difficult to discern the truth amid the incredible number of fake videos, fake photos and fake news online, belief in science and medicine is falling even further – especially in the West, where we are seeing returns of diseases that have long been controlled with vaccines.
“In this difficult climate, education is more threatened than ever, and also more needed than ever.”
