UN chief warns of rapid AI growth, calls for global rules

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has warned about the rapid pace of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Speaking to delegates at a two-day United Nations AI conference in Geneva, Switzerland, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that AI technology is advancing even faster than expected and that global regulations are urgently needed to reduce the potential risks associated with it.

He stated: “A technology capable of transforming economies, reshaping the global workforce, influencing the outcomes of elections and altering the balance of security is spreading at an extraordinary pace. Even the people developing it are struggling to keep up with its speed.”

Guterres stressed that powerful technologies require appropriate safeguards. “Innovation needs guardrails. If AI becomes extremely powerful, it must be governed by clear rules and principles.”

The purpose of the summit is not to negotiate a formal international treaty but rather to establish guiding principles for minimizing the risks of AI while ensuring that the opportunities created by the technology are shared more broadly around the world.

Participants at the conference will review a report prepared by a 40-member panel of experts established with the support of the United Nations.

The report described as the first independent and government-backed global assessment of AI will be presented during the meeting. A more comprehensive report is planned for release at the next UN Global AI Summit scheduled for next year.