Artificial intelligence was a major topic as world leaders gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York for High-Level Week. Speeches during the UN General Debate showed that nations agree on AI's benefits but are split on its risks and who should write the rules.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called AI "a game changer" with "enormous promise to advance medicine, accelerate scientific discovery, expand opportunity, and improve lives."
He also warned of the dangers. "The danger is not technology. The danger is technology without accountability," he said.
Balancing Innovation and Safety
President of the General Assembly Khalilur Rahman said the world "must not close the door to innovation." He also pointed to possible job losses and a growing digital divide. He called for safeguards based on science, not fear.
Switzerland said regulation should build trust without blocking AI's benefits. Japan focused on cooperation over the safety of frontier AI systems.
Saudi Arabia stressed ethics and responsible use. Singapore supported testing, trust-building and cross-border incident reporting, and warned about increasingly autonomous systems.
The UK said AI could speed up cancer diagnoses and improve public services. It also warned that AI "will also be a source of disruption to the way we live and work." The UK said key decisions on the technology must be made by elected governments.
India described AI as "a transformational driver, for human empowerment, economic prosperity and population-scale problem solving."
Developing Nations Want a Say
Many countries asked whether they will simply use AI or help shape its future. South Africa said Africa needs a hand in writing the rules, linking this to research, youth and economic growth.
India called for each nation's right to build its own AI models and strategies. China said AI progress should be shared widely, not kept among a few countries.
Brazil raised concerns about the influence of large tech companies. France warned about dependence on powerful states or a small number of private firms.
Developing countries asked for more access to computing power, technical skills and infrastructure. They also want a larger role in setting standards.
Security came up in many speeches. France flagged risks in defence, cybersecurity and space, while Japan pointed to information integrity. Singapore raised worries about autonomous weapons and the loss of human control.
Ukraine warned that as AI grows more capable, the search for peace becomes more urgent. Türkiye called for an international legal framework and work on a UN convention on AI.
Singapore floated the idea of a future UN framework convention and a dedicated international AI institution. Russia backed UN-centred rulemaking with universal support.
The UK called for global principles and standards. It said AI will be a top issue when it takes over the G20 presidency.
The UN has already set up an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and holds a Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Guterres told the General Assembly that "global coordination is indispensable."
The United States offered the sharpest counterpoint, treating AI leadership as a strategic and economic priority. President Donald Trump said, "I'm not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution."
