Key Takeaways
- UN Secretary‑General António Guterres described AI as both “humanity’s greatest opportunity in the 21st century” and one of its biggest risks, warning that without international cooperation it could widen global inequality.
- He stressed that AI governance must be inclusive, declaring that “every nation needs a seat at the table” and that technology shaping humanity’s future must be shaped by all of humanity.
- Recent UN initiatives—the Global Digital Compact, the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance—aim to build common standards, share expertise and give developing nations a stronger voice.
- To bridge the AI divide, more than 20 countries have nominated centres for a UN‑supported Global Network for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building, and a Global Fund for AI is being prepared.
- The Secretary‑General outlined three priorities: expanding AI capacity in the Global South, establishing international safety standards, and making AI environmentally sustainable.
- He called on AI firms to disclose their environmental footprint and power operations with renewable energy by 2030, while urging governments to protect human rights, keep humans in control of life‑and‑death decisions, and keep AI away from children until proven safe.
UN Chief Warns AI Could Deepen Global Inequality Without Cooperation
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Mr. Guterres described AI as “humanity’s greatest opportunity in the 21st century”, but cautioned that it could also become “one of its greatest risks”. He warned that “without international cooperation the technology could widen global inequality instead of advancing sustainable development”. Emphasising the need for collective stewardship, he said, “Technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all of humanity”, and added that “every nation needs a seat at the table”. The remarks set the tone for a call to move beyond fragmented national approaches toward a truly global AI governance framework.
UN Accelerates AI Governance Work After Global Digital Compact
Over the past year, the United Nations has stepped up its work on AI governance, following the adoption of the Global Digital Compact and the establishment of the UN General Assembly‑backed Independent International Scientific Panel on AI – the first global scientific panel devoted to the revolutionary technology. The first session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance was held in Geneva earlier this month, where governments and stakeholders convened to have open, transparent and inclusive discussions on artificial intelligence governance. Mr. Guterres noted that these recent initiatives are intended to help countries share expertise, promote common standards and ensure developing nations have a stronger voice in shaping the technology’s future. He argued that turning these commitments into practical support is the next essential step so that all countries can benefit from AI’s rapid development.
AI’s Promise to Advance SDGs Countered by Persistent Digital Divide
The Secretary‑General said AI has enormous potential to accelerate medical breakthroughs, transform education, strengthen food systems and create jobs, helping drive progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet he warned that many developing countries remain at risk of being left behind. “One-third of humanity is still offline,” he noted, while computing power, technical expertise and investment remain heavily concentrated in a small number of countries and companies. Unless those disparities are addressed, AI could lead to “greater inequalities, greater divides in income, in opportunity, in security”. This stark contrast between AI’s transformative promise and the existing gaps in access formed the core of his plea for urgent action.
Global Network for AI Capacity Building and Proposed Fund Aim to Close Gaps
To help bridge those gaps, Mr. Guterres said more than 20 countries, including China, have already nominated centres for a UN‑supported Global Network for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. He also announced that he will soon present recommendations for a Global Fund for AI and called on governments to support both initiatives. The network is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing, technical assistance and joint projects that empower poorer nations to develop AI systems rooted in their own data, languages and expertise. The proposed fund would mobilise financial resources to sustain these efforts, ensuring that capacity‑building is not a one‑off gesture but a lasting component of the global AI ecosystem.
Secretary‑General Sets Out Three Priorities for Inclusive AI
Mr. Guterres outlined three priorities for ensuring AI benefits everyone: expanding capacity in developing countries, establishing international safety standards, and making AI more environmentally sustainable. He said developing countries should have the tools to build AI systems using their own data, languages and expertise, while governments should adopt common approaches to testing and risk management grounded in international law. On human rights, he declared, “Human rights must be protected” and added that “Humans must keep control over every life‑and‑death decision.” He also stressed that “no AI system should be put in a child’s hands before it has been proven safe”. These priorities reflect a holistic vision that couples technological advancement with safeguards for people and the planet.
Call for Green AI: Renewable Energy and Transparency by 2030
On sustainability, Mr. Guterres called on major AI companies to disclose the environmental footprint of their systems and power their operations with renewable energy by 2030, urging governments to integrate clean energy for AI into national plans. He framed the challenge as a defining question: “The defining question is whether that transformation will reduce inequalities or reinforce them,” he said. “Whether it will concentrate power or expand opportunity.” By demanding transparency and a shift to green power, the UN chief seeks to align the AI boom with climate goals, ensuring that the technology’s growth does not come at the expense of the planet or exacerbate existing inequities.
A Collective Path Forward for AI Governance
In sum, Mr. Guterres’ address at WAIC underscored that AI’s future hinges on inclusive governance, equitable capacity‑building, robust safety norms, and sustainable practices. His warnings about inequality serve as a rallying cry for nations, corporations and civil society to cooperate rather than compete in shaping AI. The UN’s emerging structures—Global Digital Compact, Scientific Panel, Global Dialogue, the forthcoming network and fund—provide concrete platforms for that cooperation. If the international community heeds his call to give every nation a seat at the table and to anchor AI development in human rights and environmental stewardship, the technology may indeed become humanity’s greatest opportunity rather than its greatest risk.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/07/1167965