UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all countries to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) and agree on systems to manage the associated risks. This appeal was made during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, where Guterres stressed the existential threat posed by digital technologies.
Guterres noted that while AI has the potential to significantly advance sustainable development, it also presents significant challenges. These include the difficulty in regulation, the exacerbation of power imbalances, the concentration of wealth, the undermining of human rights, and the increase in tensions and divisions. He emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive involvement from governments, the tech industry, scientific communities, and civil society to establish and agree on AI risk management systems.
He also highlighted the necessity for all nations, not just the wealthy ones, to be part of this process and expressed the UN’s willingness to provide a platform for such collaborative efforts.
