The World Food Program’s (WFP) AI-powered smart warehouse system and grain ATM are showcased at the AI Impact Summit in India in February 2026. UN Secretary General: in the era of rapid development of AI, the world needs scientific guidelines Sustainable Development Goals
UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke at the first meeting of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, emphasizing the historical responsibility of the experts tasked by the General Assembly to develop recommendations for the global development of AI.
Congratulating the panel members on their appointment, the UN chief noted that the world expects “clarity” from them at a time when technology is developing at an unprecedented pace. According to him, if today it seems to someone that change is happening too quickly, they should remember: “never in the future will we move as slowly as we are now.” UN, the term “artificial intelligence” was almost never heard in the speeches of world leaders, while today AI is rapidly transforming economies and societies. No single government, company or scientific discipline can see the full picture alone, he stressed.
“The world urgently needs a common, global understanding of artificial intelligence – based not on ideology, but on science; not on fake news, but on knowledge,” – said the Secretary General, addressing the participants of the meeting, which was held in a virtual format. scientific assessment becomes especially important. The group tasks include the assessment of the social and economic consequences of the use of technological solutions that have already made themselves felt. According to the Secretary General, artificial intelligence will influence peace and security, human rights and sustainable development – key areas of the UN – for decades.
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The work of the group will form the basis of the first annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance. However, all members of the body act in their personal capacity and provide independent scientific assessments, without representing governments, companies or the United Nations itself. Mechanisms to prevent conflicts of interest will help ensure that the group’s recommendations remain impartial and credible, Guterres stressed. “I cannot imagine a more important challenge for our world today,” concluded the General Secretary, assuring the experts of the full support of the UN system.