First UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance opens in Geneva

Established under a United Nations General Assembly resolution, the event has brought together representatives of governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to develop coordinated approaches to regulating one of the 21st century's most influential technologies - artificial intelligence.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres took part in the opening ceremony, setting the tone for the discussions.

We may be the last generation able to set the terms on which humanity and machines coexist, Guterres said.

He warned of the rapidly accelerating risks posed by AI and called for urgent global action to regulate the technology.

Artificial intelligence is advancing at runaway speed. A technology that can reshape economies, transform the world of work, sway elections, and tilt the balance of security is being deployed faster than anyone – including the people building it – can keep up. An experiment is being run on our own societies – without a plan, and without consent. That is not sustainable. And it is not acceptable. AI is already transforming our world. The question is whether we will shape this transformation together – or let it shape us, he said in his remarks.

The opening of the dialogue coincided with the presentation of the first report by the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, co-chaired by renowned scientist Yoshua Bengio and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa. The report emphasizes that technological development is significantly outpacing existing regulatory mechanisms.

For Kazakhstan, which is actively advancing its digital agenda and national AI strategies, participation in the dialogue is of particular importance. A high-level Kazakh delegation is attending the summit, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev.

The Geneva event is being held on July 6-7 alongside the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and immediately ahead of the AI for Good Global Summit (July 7-10), turning the Swiss city into a global hub for international discussions on artificial intelligence.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan unveils its digital initiatives in Beijing.