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AI must be safe, accessible and powered by clean energy: UN chief Antonio Guterres
UN Secretary General Guterres stressed that artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming societies and economies, and that its governance must be inclusive
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday said the future of artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be decided by a handful of countries or a few billionaires while praising the ongoing AI Summit in India saying it has a special meaning as it’s the first such summit to be held in the Global South.
“Done right, AI can advance sustainable development goals, accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, expand learning opportunities, strengthen food security, bolster climate action and disaster preparedness and improve access to vital public services”, he said.
“But it can also deepen inequality, amplify bias and fuel harm. As AI’s energy and water demand soar, data centers and supply chains must switch to clean power,” he said,
“Meeting in India has special meaning. It brings this conversation closer to the realities shaping much of the world. Because the future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries or left to the whims of a few billionaires,” Guterres said.
Guterres also spoke of launching a global dialogue on AI governance within the United Nations where all countries, together with the private sector, the academia and the civil society, can have a voice.
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“These 40 leading experts from across regions and disciplines embody a clear message. AI must belong to everyone… I urge member states, industry and civil society to contribute to the panel’s work,” he said.
“We need guardrails that preserve human agency, human oversight and human accountability. The first session of the dialogue in Geneva in July will give every country and every stakeholder a voice. To align efforts, uphold human rights and prevent misuse. And to advance our common safety measures, the foundation of interoperability,” he said.
Guterres emphasised the need for investments making it accessible to everyone saying many countries will be locked out of the AI age.
“That is why, encouraged by the General Assembly of the United Nations, I’m calling for a global fund on AI to build basic capacity in developing countries. Skills, data, affordable computing power and inclusive ecosystems. Our target is 3 billion US dollars. That is less than 1% of global revenue of a single tech company,” he said.
“We must invest in workers so AI augments human potential, not only replaces it. And AI must be safe for everyone. We must protect people from exploitation, manipulation and abuse. No child should be a test subject for unregulated AI. The message of this summit is simple. Real impact means technology that improves lives and protects the planet.
So let’s build AI for everyone with dignity as the default setting,” Guterres said.
