President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, took part in a discussion on the risks and opportunities arising from the use of artificial intelligence, in the context of parliamentary work and the functioning of democracy, on the final day of the 19th Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the Small States of Europe in Andorra.
According to a House press release, Demetriou noted that artificial intelligence can significantly enhance efficiency, particularly in the parliaments of small states, which are called upon to meet increased responsibilities with limited resources.
The use of artificial intelligence, she continued, can facilitate parliamentary work and open up parliaments to the public, improving their access to easily understandable parliamentary information and thereby reducing barriers to participation.
It is added that the House President also referred to the risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence in relation to security, the protection of personal data, the accuracy of information, misinformation and the rapid spread of fake news.
Demetriou highlighted that the potential for artificial intelligence to be used to manipulate public opinion is particularly worrying, reinforce prejudices and polarisation, and create deepfakes, which undermine trust in democratic institutions and elections.
Clear and effective rules
Parliaments, she emphasised, have a role and a responsibility to establish clear and effective rules for the ethical and responsible development and the use of artificial intelligence, which guarantee transparency, accountability, the protection of fundamental rights and human oversight. She stressed that parliaments must focus their efforts on safeguarding democracy and the rule of law, placing particular emphasis on preventing the manipulation of electoral processes, the infringement of freedoms, the undermining of public dialogue and the erosion of trust in democratic institutions.
The state, she continued, has the responsibility to provide young people with guidance and the tools that will protect them from exposure to disinformation and attempts to manipulate them, by strengthening their knowledge and critical thinking.
We must take particular care to protect young people, women and children, who are exposed to increased risks to their safety, their dignity and mental health, by promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence, Demetriou concluded. Emphasising the importance of exchanging knowledge, experiences and best practices amongst the participating parliaments, she proposed the preparation of a comprehensive document setting out the policies implemented by each parliament of the Small States of Europe.
The Conference concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration that emphasises the importance of the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of Small European States as a forum for dialogue, cooperation and exchange between states sharing common characteristics, values and principles; it also emphasises the commitment of the participating parliaments to continuing and strengthening their cooperation with one another and within the framework of the international parliamentary organisations of which they are members.
Strengthening citizens’ resilience
It is noted that the Declaration includes two amendments proposed by Annita Demetriou. The first concerns a specific reference to the parliaments’ commitment to work towards strengthening citizens’ resilience to the risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence and ensuring their ability to use artificial intelligence responsibly, equipped with knowledge and critical thinking, whilst the second amendment specifically refers to the need to protect the dignity and mental health of young people, children and women from the risks associated with artificial intelligence.
The press release added that the House President met, on the sidelines of the Conference, with the Speaker of the Icelandic Parliament, Thorunn Sveinbjarnardottir, during which they noted the common characteristics linking Cyprus and Iceland and the shared challenges faced by the two small, island nations.
Demetriou emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation between the Parliaments of Cyprus and Iceland and expressed the readiness of the House of Representatives to support, through Cyprus' experience as a member state of the European Union, Iceland’s efforts to shape its cooperation with the Union. During the meeting, the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation in strengthening women’s participation in politics and in decision-making bodies was also emphasised.
The President of the House of Representatives emphasised the need to keep gender equality at the top of the agenda and described cooperation with Iceland as extremely important, given that the country has a long tradition of institutional and legislative measures to promote women’s participation in political, economic and social life and serves as a benchmark internationally, the press release concluded.
(Source: CNA)
