UN Chief Urges Governments and Companies to Act Responsibly on AI
As artificial intelligence spreads at unprecedented speed, the United Nations is being called upon to play a central role in ensuring the technology is governed in a way that benefits humanity while managing its growing risks.
Artificial intelligence is now the fastest-spreading technology in human history, with more than 100 million people using ChatGPT within two months of its launch in November 2022. Its rapid adoption is driven by its ability to transform how information is created, analysed and shared, offering new economic opportunities and tools for communication, creativity and organisation.
However, alongside its promise, AI also presents profound risks. While it can improve health care and productivity, it can also undermine trust, spread biased information, distort political systems and widen existing inequalities. One quarter of the world’s population still lacks access to the internet, raising concerns that the benefits of AI will be unevenly distributed.
The challenges posed by AI extend beyond national borders, prompting growing calls for global cooperation. The United Nations has emerged as the only forum where all countries can participate in shaping how AI is governed, particularly as the technology increasingly affects peace, security, human rights and sustainable development.
In recent years, the UN has taken initial steps towards global AI governance. In 2024, Member States adopted the organisation’s first resolution on artificial intelligence, setting out broad shared values. This was followed by the adoption of the Global Digital Compact later that year, outlining commitments to ensure new technologies are developed and used in line with UN norms.
In August 2025, further progress was made when Member States agreed to establish a UN Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and to launch the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Both initiatives are expected to begin work in early 2026.
Despite these advances, consensus remains fragile. Countries approach AI governance with differing priorities, ranging from concerns about safety and existential risk to demands for fairer access to innovation and support for adoption in developing economies. Underpinning these debates is intensified competition between nations that view AI as critical to their economic and security interests.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly urged governments and companies to act responsibly, stressing that technology must be used to lift up humanity rather than deepen divisions. Speaking at the opening of the UN General Assembly, he called for leadership, accountability and collective action.
As geopolitical tensions continue to challenge multilateral cooperation, the coming years are seen as critical. Supporters of the UN-led process argue that failure to act collectively could mirror past global shortcomings, such as unequal responses to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eighty years after its founding, the United Nations now faces what many see as a defining test of its relevance, as it seeks to guide the world through the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in an increasingly divided global landscape.
