United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used his final address to the General Assembly on Tuesday to call for stronger global oversight of artificial intelligence, action to end wars and tackle climate change, and reforms to international institutions struggling with growing global challenges.
Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31, placed particular emphasis on the risks posed by rapidly developing AI and urged governments to establish common safeguards and independent international oversight.
“Those countries leading this technological revolution must share information on emerging safety risks, cooperate on testing and evaluation – and work towards common safeguards that protect us all,” Guterres told the General Assembly.
He urged world leaders to “advance the conditions for the responsible pacing of AI and the additional safeguards needed to address risks”.
Guterres also called on countries to “work towards a multilateral AI risk management framework, supported by credible and independent oversight.”
His remarks came as the UN Security Council prepared to host AI industry leaders for a briefing on the rapidly developing technology.
Beyond AI, Guterres reflected on difficulties facing the international system after a decade leading the UN, including political divisions that have frequently prevented the organisation from reaching consensus on major conflicts.
Nearly 130 world leaders gathered in New York for the General Assembly, although several prominent leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of India, South Africa and Germany, did not attend.
Delegates gave sustained applause as Guterres defended a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, called for an end to wars, demanded that “polluters must pay” for climate change and pressed for reforms to international institutions.
His final General Assembly address as secretary-general came after a decade in which he sought to strengthen the UN’s role as a mediator in international conflicts and as a forum for developing rules around emerging technologies, even as major powers increasingly pursued policies outside the organisation and the United States reduced its funding.
Separately, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that Washington had proposed a new AI safety notification mechanism for US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider at their summit this week.
The proposal emerged from discussions about establishing a US-China dialogue on artificial intelligence and would cover AI-related incidents carrying potential national security implications.