The United Nations secretary general delivered a stark warning Monday, telling world delegates that artificial intelligence is advancing at a pace that has outrun the ability of governments — and even the tech industry itself — to manage it.
Speaking at the first-ever government-level global discussion on AI held in Geneva, Antonio Guterres urged nations to work together on a unified set of rules to address the dangers the technology poses.
“A technology that can reshape economies, transform the world of work, sway elections and tilt the balance of security is being deployed faster than anyone – including the people building it – can keep up,” Guterres said to the assembled delegates.
He made clear that technological progress alone is not enough without proper oversight. “Innovation needs guardrails.… If AI is to be powerful, it must be governed,” he added.
The two-day inaugural U.N. Global Dialogue on AI Governance is not aimed at producing a formal treaty. Instead, participants are focused on how best to establish guidelines that could limit the potential dangers of AI while also harnessing its benefits.
As part of the discussions, delegates will review findings from a panel of 40 independent scientific experts assembled by the U.N. — the first global, independent scientific review of artificial intelligence ever conducted.
A more thorough follow-up report is expected to be released next year, with a second international gathering planned for New York.
