UN Chief Calls for Inclusive AI Future

- The Secretary-General's remarks were delivered at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, the first major AI summit to be hosted in the Global South. This location was chosen to bring the conversation on AI governance closer to the realities of a larger portion of the world's population. - To address the global AI divide, the UN has proposed a $3 billion Global Fund for AI aimed at building capacity in developing nations. This fund is intended to support skills development, data infrastructure, and affordable computing power. - A 40-member Independent International Scientific Panel on AI has been appointed by the UN. This panel of experts from diverse regions and disciplines is tasked with providing shared evidence and closing knowledge gaps to inform policymaking. - The UN is launching a Global Dialogue on AI Governance, with an inaugural session scheduled for July in Geneva. This dialogue aims to create shared safety measures and align global efforts on AI regulation and human rights. - The UN's High-level Advisory Body on AI released its final report, "Governing AI for Humanity," in September 2024, following extensive global consultations with over 2,000 participants. The report proposes a new global architecture for AI governance rooted in international cooperation. - Guterres has emphasized that decisions about AI's future cannot be left to a few countries or "the whims of a few billionaires," calling for a globally representative approach. - The Secretary-General has warned that AI carries significant risks, including the potential to deepen inequality, amplify bias, and be used for exploitation and manipulation. He has specifically called for the protection of children from unregulated AI experiments. - Environmental concerns are also being raised, with the UN highlighting the soaring energy and water demands of AI data centers and supply chains, urging a switch to clean power.