UN Chief Presses for Global AI Framework With Independent Oversight

Guterres, whose second five-year term concludes Dec. 31, delivered the remarks Tuesday as roughly 130 world leaders gathered in New York for the annual high-level meeting, according to Reuters. His farewell address placed rapidly advancing AI alongside war, climate change and institutional reform among the defining challenges requiring greater international cooperation.

According to Reuters, Guterres called for countries at the forefront of AI development to exchange information about emerging safety threats and cooperate on testing and evaluation. He also urged governments to work toward common protections and a multilateral system for managing AI risks, backed by independent oversight.

The appeal comes as AI governance moves higher on the UN agenda. The 15-member Security Council is scheduled to discuss artificial intelligence and international security Wednesday, with representatives from major AI companies expected to participate, Reuters reported separately.

Guterres has made international oversight of the technology a recurring priority. The UN established a 39-member advisory body on AI in 2023, while the Security Council held its first meeting devoted to the technology’s risks that year, according to Reuters.

His latest call also lands amid differences over how aggressively governments should constrain AI development. The US and China have been discussing AI safety, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington proposed an incident-notification mechanism for President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider, Reuters reported.

We’d love to be your preferred source for news.

Please add us to your preferred sources list so our news, data and interviews show up in your feed. Thanks!

Add as Preferred Source

The secretary-general devoted substantial attention to armed conflict as well. Addressing escalating tensions in the Middle East, Guterres urged de-escalation and diplomacy while calling for fighting to end, humanitarian assistance to reach civilians and navigation rights to be restored in accordance with international law, according to Reuters.

Read more: Lawmakers Question AI Industry Push for Antitrust Waiver

He also renewed his support for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and pressed governments to hold major polluters financially accountable for climate damage. Those remarks, along with his calls for institutional reform, drew sustained applause from delegates, Reuters reported.

The speech underscored the difficult environment confronting the UN near the end of Guterres’ decade in office. Major powers have increasingly pursued diplomacy outside the institution, while financial pressures have complicated its operations. Washington has reduced funding and withdrawn from a number of UN bodies, even as the organization faces demands to respond to wars, climate change and emerging technologies, according to Reuters.

Guterres argued that international institutions built around an earlier distribution of global power require modernization. His remarks reflected a broader debate at this year’s General Assembly over whether the UN’s existing structures can effectively address contemporary security, economic and technological challenges.

The gathering also highlighted the limits of the institution’s convening power. Chinese President Xi Jinping was among several prominent leaders not attending the New York meeting, along with leaders from India, Germany and South Africa, Reuters reported.

For Guterres, the address served as both a policy agenda and a farewell after nearly 10 years at the helm of the world body. He told delegates that after leaving office at the start of 2027, he intends to continue advocating for peace and the principles contained in the UN Charter, according to Reuters.

Source: Reuters