R3: Keeping green values in the age of AI (CDN General Assembly 2025, Antragsgrün)

Metadata of the motion
Proposer:	Executive Committee (decided on: 14.03.2025)

In the last couple of years we have been witnessing the transformation and
development of digital technologies. One of the dominant spheres that have been
on the rise is artificial intelligence (also known as AI, as it will be referred
to in this resolution). While AI has been present in the background for some
time, it is safe to say that it has finally become a crucial part of the
contemporary person’s life, whether they are aware of it or not.

AI is now being used in a wide variety of jobs, from the essential ones like
healthcare and finance, to the creative ones, like writing and filmmaking. We
are using it every time we use Google translate, social media, automatic
passport control, smart air conditioning and, perhaps most evident, generative
chatbots such as ChatGPT, only to name a few. However, people don’t often
realise how much AI is used in today’s world in more controversial and harmful
fields, such as surveillance and warfare. With the rapid decline of democracy
and rise of authority and right-wing ideas, AI is one of the main tools of
oppression in Eastern Europe. It is proven that these tools are heavily used in
Serbia for spyware, as well as video surveillance that operates in a legal grey
zone^{^[1]}^{^[2]}, while similar happenings have been noted in Albania^{^[3]}, Bulgaria and
Hungary^{^[4]}, among others. Russia and Turkey have been using AI as a tool of
political authoritarian propaganda^{^[5]}. Greece has been using AI technology as a
tool of oppression against migrants^{^[6]}. Russia has additionally been misusing AI
technologies heavily during the full scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022, both
as means of propaganda^{^[7]}, and as active aggressive military threat^{^[8]}. The harm
is even greater when we take into consideration that many of the Eastern
European countries don’t even have any regulations regarding AI^{^[9]}^{^[10]}.

CDN is not and never has been against innovation and development in technology,
and we underline that the instances of questionable usages of AI don’t mean that
the whole technology is to be ostracized. However, we must prioritise safe,
humane and democratic usage and development of the technology, both on a
personal and governmental level. This is why we demand and advocate for the
following ways that would help creating and using AI on par with green values:

There should be complete transparency when developing AI and AI tools, as
well as transparency about when and how they are used. Development of AI
should be in public interest and with public accountability in mind. There
shouldn’t be monopolisation of AI by the big tech, and there should be
open-source models that would ensure fair access. AI should serve human
needs, not corporate profits. Future developments should be open source
and all information gathering should be made public.

AI should be used to help and improve workplaces and services, and not to
harm existing workers. We demand strong labor protection and banning job
displacement due to automation. AI should be primarily used and developed
in order to aid human needs, and to improve social services, such as
health-care, education, and social security. These tools should,
therefore, be free and accessible, with developed programs for education
of digital literacy that would help people use the tools.

We demand that all the countries in Eastern Europe adopt detailed, dynamic
and democratic policies and strategies for AI usage that will prioritise
human rights and freedoms. The future usages of AI by the state must then
go in line with these legislations. These practices should be constantly
revised and updated in ways to ensure any discrimination by AI, especially
against the marginalized communities and migrants. AI in autonomous
weapons and warfare, as well as in mass surveillance should be completely
banned, especially by the government.

Finally, while we realise AI is the key part of contemporary life, especially
for youth, as an organisation with green values we must keep environmental
sustainability in mind. AI tools often use up a lot of energy and damage the
environment in the process, which is why we should strive against
overconsumption of AI and demand regulations of AI’s energy consumption,
including data centers and large-scale models. AI should be developed as a
sustainable tool as much as possible, protecting the interest of the
environment.

In future, CDN plans to develop the strategies and resolutions regarding the AI
in accordance with other organisations such as EU, Council of Europe and
European Youth Forum. We will continue, as CDN representatives, to practice
transparent AI usage, but also encourage creativity, development and green
values.