Addressing the representatives of member states, Secretary-General Guterres said decisive steps must be taken to establish international protection mechanisms for artificial intelligence technologies.
“For every moment of delay in putting in place an international defense system, the danger to us all increases.”
He said the growing gap between rapid changes in AI and human monitoring capabilities will raise big questions for accountability, equity, security and human monitoring systems.
The top UN official made it clear that any country should avoid the military use, deployment, design or technology development of AI during armed conflict, which violates international humanitarian and human rights law.
This includes reliance on autonomous AI systems to target targets during military engagements, where technology is used to automatically select targets.
He warned that geopolitical competition over these emerging technologies is increasing, but this should not be allowed to destabilize the international peace and security situation.
A double-edged sword
Secretary-General Guterres said AI is like a double-edged sword, with immense potential and benefits, but also many dangers.
For example, AI can help predict displacement due to climate change, or detect landmines. But there are major dangers from its incorporation into military systems and misuse in digital security.
He noted that military use of AI has been tested during recent violent conflicts. With this technology, situations were monitored autonomously and life-death decisions were also made.
He expressed concern that the integration of AI into nuclear weapons is of particular concern and that quantum-AI systems could destabilize global security.
“The fate of humanity must not be left to the ‘black box’ of a single algorithm.” In this sequence, he underlined the importance of human control in decisions related to the use of force.
Trust is required
Another big concern is the role of AI in information, the UN chief said. Deliberate misinformation created by ‘deepfakes’ and AI can sway public opinion, create fuel crises and erode trust in society.
AI also poses environmental risks and requires huge resources for their data centers, which can intensify geopolitical competition for important minerals.
“Unprecedented global challenges call for unprecedented global cooperation.” Together, he said, we must ensure that the benefits of AI reach everyone and that inequality does not widen.
Emphasis on global structure
The UN chief outlined some important steps for the global governance of AI, including the UN Global Digital Compact, which was adopted at the Future of AI summit.
In addition, two important proposals for global cooperation and capacity building were endorsed in the General Assembly. Another resolution focuses on the use of AI in the military, which will be discussed at the UN General Assembly in the coming days.
The UN chief reiterated his call for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons and called on the Security Council to lead by example in preventing the militarization of AI, so we can move towards a safe and inclusive AI future.