UNITED NATIONS, September 16 (Reuters) – The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, warned world leaders on Wednesday that the rapid advance of artificial intelligence poses risks that cannot be ignored, putting him at odds with United States President Donald Trump, who argues that existing protective measures are sufficient.
Speaking ahead of the UN General Assembly, which will convene next week in New York, Guterres told reporters that the need for stricter oversight would be one of the main focuses of his talks with the global leaders who will come to the city.
“We cannot afford to ignore the concerns that have been raised, especially by those who are on the front line of AI development,” Guterres said. “It is the primary responsibility of any government to protect its citizens – including from the threats of artificial intelligence.”
Public concern about the potential danger posed by AI is growing after Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon said last week that he had resigned, in part because “the people who develop AI sincerely believe it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” Leaders of some of the sector’s largest companies urged that the pace of technology development be slowed down.
Trump said on Monday that the United States already has safeguards to regulate and sue AI companies, downplaying the concerns voiced by industry leaders.
Guterres has long argued for global AI governance. In 2023, the UN created an AI advisory body comprising 39 members, including executives from tech companies, government officials and academics from countries such as the United States, Russia and Japan.
The UN Security Council could also meet next week to discuss AI during the annual meeting of world leaders in New York, according to diplomats. The council, consisting of 15 members, first convened to address artificial intelligence in 2023.
Trump said that China would benefit from the doubts being raised about AI development.
He has a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week in Washington. Reuters had previously reported that the two countries were planning a separate mid-September meeting to discuss AI risks, led by lower-level government officials.
“We need a common understanding of how to promote safe, secure, and responsible AI development – while also identifying when increasingly powerful systems may require stronger safeguards or additional measures to manage potential risks,” Guterres said on Wednesday.
