United Nations forms global AI advisory panel

This new 40-member panel was selected from a pool of over 2,600 candidates, following a review by several UN bodies including UNESCO and the International Telecommunications Union. The members will serve in their personal capacities for a three-year term, starting in February 2026. The panel's creation was approved by the UN General Assembly with a vote of 117 in favor and 2 against (United States and Paraguay), with two abstentions. The U.S. voiced strong objections, describing the panel as a "significant overreach of the U.N.'s mandate and competence." The expert group is geographically diverse and gender-balanced, comprising mainly AI experts but also specialists from other fields. Notable members include journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, as well as two American professors, Vipin Kumar from the University of Minnesota and Martha Palmer from the University of Colorado. This scientific panel follows the work of a previous 39-member High-level Advisory Body on AI, which was convened by the UN Secretary-General in October 2023. That earlier body engaged over 2,000 experts and reviewed more than 250 submissions to produce its final report, "Governing AI for Humanity," in under a year. The recommendations from the initial advisory body helped shape the Global Digital Compact and called for the creation of this new, independent scientific panel to provide ongoing, evidence-based assessments of AI's trajectory. Its goal is to provide rigorous scientific insight to inform global policymaking, ensuring that the governance of AI keeps pace with its rapid development.