UN Launches Global AI Advisory Panel
The United Nations has established an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence to analyze the technology's global impacts. The panel, comprising dozens of international experts, is expected to function similarly to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, providing evidence-based recommendations to guide international policy.
The 40-member panel was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in August 2025, following groundwork by a preceding High-level Advisory Body on AI. UN Secretary-General António Guterres nominated the experts after a global call that attracted over 2,600 applicants, with the list of names submitted for final consideration in February 2026. This new body is designed to be the first global, fully independent scientific body to assess the real-world impacts of AI across societies and economies. Its mandate is to help policymakers and the public distinguish between reliable evidence and misinformation about artificial intelligence, grounding debates in independent scientific assessment. Members will serve three-year terms in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their governments or organizations. The diverse group includes experts in machine learning, data governance, human rights, and cybersecurity, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa. The panel is tasked with producing an annual, evidence-based assessment of AI's opportunities and risks, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly and a new Global Dialogue on AI Governance. This structure is intended to anchor political discussions in independent science. Its creation comes amid fragmented regulatory approaches and growing concerns about unchecked technological competition. The goal is to create a shared understanding that can lead to effective safeguards and foster international cooperation on AI development for the common good. While the resolution to create the panel was approved with overwhelming support from 117 countries, the United States and Paraguay voted against it. The U.S. delegation cited objections to UN jurisdiction over AI governance and a lack of transparency in the panel's formation.
