UNSC's Meeting on AI

The United Nations Security Council recently held its first meeting to address the threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) to global peace and stability. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the establishment of an international body to regulate AI, stressing the need for universally agreed-upon rules. He called for a legally binding agreement by 2026 to ban the use of AI in autonomous weapons of war, while emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and oversight in AI systems.

While concerns over the risks of AI were shared by many countries, Russia expressed skepticism about the extent of these risks, and China argued that UN regulations should reflect the perspectives of developing nations. The Chinese government called for flexible international laws and norms to allow countries to establish their own national-level regulations.

The meeting highlighted the necessity of international governance for AI, based on principles of freedom, democracy, human rights, and security. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly emphasized that AI has the potential to enhance or disrupt global strategic stability, posing moral questions about accountability in lethal decisions made by AI on the battlefield.

Guterres also proposed the establishment of a UN watchdog to regulate and enforce AI regulations, similar to existing agencies overseeing other critical sectors.

This Security Council meeting signifies the increasing recognition of the importance of global cooperation and regulation to manage the risks and harness the potential benefits of AI technology responsibly.