Boris Johnson joked on Tuesday that if some members of parliament had their way Brexit would be an endless process like the torment of the Greek mythological figure Prometheus.
Addressing the annual gathering of world leaders for the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister spoke little about the UK attempts to leave the EU.
But in his one mention of the divisive issue, Mr Johnson referred to how the Titan’s liver was pecked out by an eagle.
“And this went on forever. A bit like the experience of Brexit in the UK, if some of our Parliamentarians had their way,” he said, drawing laughs from the remaining delegates in the largely deserted hall.
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According to the online Encyclopedia Britannica, the Greek god Zeus punished Prometheus for stealing fire from the gods by securing him to a mountain and sending an eagle to eat his liver, which regrows only to be eaten again and again.
“When Prometheus brought fire to mankind in a tube of fennel… Zeus punished him by chaining him to a Tartarian crad while his liver was pecked out by an eagle.”
U.K. PM Boris Johnson questions whether new technologies could be “punished by the gods” at #UNGApic.twitter.com/MPSyH9Y4UW
— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) September 25, 2019
Mr Johnson mostly used his inaugural address to the United Nations to discuss the challenges and potential of new technology, at the end of a tumultuous day for both him and his host, Donald Trump.
Mr Johnson, who was born in New York, woke on Tuesday morning to find that the Supreme Court had ruled against him and ordered that Parliament be reconvened.
The British leader carried on with his planned schedule, however – attending a business breakfast in the Hudson Yards district of Manhattan before arriving at the UN to meet with world leaders including Mr Trump and Iran’s leader, Hassan Rouhani.
His address to the UN was the second last of the day, meaning he did not take the stage until almost 10pm.
And his speech was a break from tradition: unlike all other world leaders, who discussed their country’s progress and priorities, with some giving a particular emphasis on climate change, Mr Johnson discussed technology.
“At stake is whether we bequeath an Orwellian world, designed for censorship, oppression and control,” he said. “Or one of emancipation and learning.”
He said new design must incorporate societal values.
“The mission of the UK, and all who share her values, must be that technologies are designed with the right safeguards to protect our people,” he said.
“Together we need to ensure that new advances reflect our values, by design.”
Mr Johnson painted the possibility of a future where devices in every household “monitor your nightmares, monitor your fridge,” and where smart cities are “as antiseptic as a Zurich pharmacy.”
“https://news.yahoo.com/”Alexa’ will pretend to take orders but this Alexa will be watching you, clapping her tongue and stamping her foot,” mr Johnson boomed, suggesting “there may be nowhere to hide.”
“As new technologies seem to race towards us from the far horizon we strain our eyes as they come, to make out whether they are for good or bad, friends or foes.
“AI, what will it mean?” he asked of artificial intelligence.
“Helpful robots washing and caring for an ageing population or pink-eyed terminators sent back from the future to cull the human race?” Mr Johnson pondered.
He went on to wonder whether synthetic biology could restore tissues “like some fantastic hangover cure” or “bring terrifying limbless chickens to our tables.”
The Conservative leader made an impassioned plea for technology to be a force for good and said he was optimistic it could “serve as a liberator and to remake the world wondrously and benignly.”
He called on world leaders to agree to a set of guidelines to ensure that new technologies are designed ethically before inviting them to join him at a tech summit in London next year.
He also poked fun at France during his speech, reminiscing about how when he was mayor of London the city had more Michelin stars than Paris.
“The French somehow rapidly recovered – by a process that I wasn’t quite sure was entirely fair,” he joked.
After his speech he left immediately, to return to London.
3:07AM
Johnson finishes speaking
His somewhat unusual address lasted around 15 minutes…
3:06AM
Johnson invites the delegates to London
I invite you next year to a summit in London. A wonderful city. Where it is not raining, 94 per cent of the time.
Where at one point we had more Michelin starred restaurants than Paris. Although they soon recovered… I’m not sure how.
But we still have the biggest tech sector in London anywhere in Europe.
I hope that you will come and we will seek to assemble the broadest coalition to take on this task – as a global leader in responsible technology.
3:03AM
Johnson says: “We must be more ambitious” in tech design
The mission of the UK, and all who share her values, must be that technologies are designed with the right safeguards to protect our people.
Together we need to ensure that new advances reflect our values, by design.
3:02AM
Johnson says this is the heart of his speech: How will we use AI?
At stake is whether we bequeath an Orwellian world, designed for censorship, oppression and control.
Or one of emancipation and learning.
2:59AM
Johnson tells lengthy story from Greek mythology
He tells of a man having his liver picked out by a vulture.
This went on forever. A bit like the experience of Brexit, in the UK. If some of our politicians had their way.
The audience giggles, bemused.
2:57AM
“AI – what does it mean?”
Mr Johnson says that the UK is one of the world’s tech leaders.
He says that countries have been caught unaware of the pace of tech.
It is like nuclear power – it is capable of good and bad.
2:55AM
Johnson opens by talking about data
He describes it as “a great dark cloud hovering over the human race, with no telling when it will burst.”
He says:
Data is the crude oil of the modern economy.
We don’t know who has the rights and titles of these great gushers.
Should the machines, and only the machines, decide whether we are eligible for a mortgage or health care?
2:50AM
Boris Johnson takes the stage
It’s 9:50pm here in New York (2:50am in the UK).
2:49AM
Boris Johnson to make UN debut
Mr Johnson has been in New York since Monday morning.
He has met with world leaders including Donald Trump, Imran Khan, Hassan Rouhani and Donald Tusk.
His speech on Tuesday night wraps up his whirlwind visit.