Speech by President António Costa at the UN Security Council on Artificial Intelligence and International Peace and Security 22:00 On 25 September 2025, European Council[...]

I commend the South Korean presidency to organize this very important debate.

Artificial Intelligence is a powerful enhancer of human potential, for better or for worse. On the one hand, it offers solutions to some of humanity's oldest challenges. Incurable diseases, climate-driven instability, poverty and inequalities, humanitarian aid delivery with smart logistics, and new possibilities for cross-cultural communication.

But Artificial Intelligence is also being used to undermine trust in institutions, spread disinformation, and enable cyberattacks. Most dangerous, the development of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems threatens to remove human accountability from decisions of life and death.

The risks are real: miscalculation, escalation, and proliferation. We must act before the tipping points become irreversible. That is why global efforts are needed to address these challenges.

I call for good governance and regulation before it is too late.

Last year's Political Declaration on the Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence was signed by all the European Union Member States. Hosted by South Korea and the Netherlands, important work is also being done by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.

The international community must act fast. We need global standards, transparency, and mechanisms for accountability that are as dynamic as the technologies we seek to govern.

Excellencies, the European Union stands for a human-centered approach to Artificial Intelligence. Grounded in our core values: dignity, democracy, and the rule of law. Through the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, we are building the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for reliable Artificial Intelligence. We call for the same ambition at the international level.

Peace and security are human responsibilities, and they must remain so in the Artificial Intelligence era.

Thank you very much.