Press Conference by Secretary-General António Guterres at United Nations Headquarters

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General António Guterres' press conference on the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, in New York today:

Good afternoon to all of you. Today, we are taking an important step to help ensure Artificial Intelligence serves all of humanity.

I have just submitted for the consideration of the General Assembly a list of 40 distinguished individuals from every region to serve on the new Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.

The Panel is a direct response to the mandate given by Member States in the Pact for the Future to strengthen multilateral solutions for emerging technologies that are reshaping every aspect of our lives.

It will be the first global, fully independent scientific body dedicated to helping close the AI [artificial intelligence] knowledge gap and assess the real impacts of AI across economies and societies.

And this could not be more urgent. AI is moving at the speed of light. No country can see the full picture alone. We need shared understandings to build effective guardrails, unlock innovation for the common good and foster cooperation.

The Panel will help the world separate fact from fakes, and science from slop. It will provide an authoritative reference point at a moment when reliable, unbiased understanding of AI has never been more critical.

Following an open global call that drew more than 2,600 applications, I have proposed to the General Assembly a list of individuals with deep expertise across disciplines - including machine learning, data governance, public health, cybersecurity, childhood development and human rights.

All members will serve in their personal capacity - independent of any government, company, or institution. The Panel will work on a fast track. Its first report will be expected in time to inform the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in July.

AI is transforming our world. The question is whether we will shape this transformation together, or allow it to shape us.

At a time of deep geopolitical tension and growing technological rivalry, we urgently need common ground and a practical basis for cooperation based on science and solidarity. That is what this Panel can help deliver.

Finally, let me recognize the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] for their vital support for this initiative. The three organizations will provide members to the secretariat of the Panel, and the secretariat of the Panel will be coordinated by my Special Envoy, Amandeep Gill. Thank you.

**Question & Answer

Question: On behalf of the UN Correspondents' Association, thank you, SG, for coming to do this with us. I'm Sherwin Bryce-Pease, South African Broadcasting. Paragraph 10 of the modalities resolution says "requests the Secretary-General to facilitate within existing resources and mandates appropriate Secretariat support for the Panel and the Dialogue by leveraging United Nations systemwide capabilities." As you and I both know, there are no resources. We talk about July as AI Dialogue about global governance. We also talk about running out of money in July. So how is a system that has no money going to support this AI Panel?

Secretary-General: First of all, I am sure that there will be a lot of possibilities of finding funding for this purpose. This purpose is a purpose of global interest, so I have no doubt about it. And I am sure that the letter that I presented to Member States will make Member States fulfill their obligations. First of all, paying their dues. And second, I am strongly confident that they will change the financial rules to allow for the Organization to be able to move on without major problems.

Question: And what gives you such confidence that the United States will pay? You say that you're confident that Member States will pay. What gives you that confidence that the United States is going to pay?

Secretary-General: The question is not a question of confidence. Obligations are obligations. So, in relation to obligations, it's not a matter of having confidence. It's a matter of obligations being met.

Correspondent: Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General. Yoshita Singh of Press Trust of India. India will be hosting a Global AI Impact Summit later this month…

Secretary-General: And I will be there.

Question: That's why I have a question. And it's the first time that the Global South is hosting such a summit. How do you see India's role in the field of AI and the solutions it offers? And what will be your message to the India summit when you are there? Thank you.

Secretary-General: Well, I am delighted that I have the chance to participate in this meeting. I do believe that AI today is an absolutely crucial issue in international relations and one of the biggest challenges of our times. So, it is very important that countries come together and discuss it, also with civil society, in all kinds of circumstances. And I praise India for having assumed the leadership in relation to this summit. And of course, my message to the summit will be directly linked to the conclusions of our Global Digital Compact and to explain to the different Heads of State that are present and the different entities present what exactly will be the role of our international scientific panel, what do we expect from the dialogues, and hopefully how can we better mobilize the community to support capacity-building in developing countries. And I believe for India as a developing country, even with remarkable capacity already existing, I believe for India, this objective is a central objective of this summit. Thank you very much. You want one more?

Question: Thank you, Secretary-General. Biesan Abu-Kwaik with Al Jazeera Arabic. So, this report that we should expect, you are talking about governing AI. But, we also see AI being used in war zones like Gaza, with robo-killers and intelligence and tracking, actually, the people of Gaza and elsewhere, too. So, how does this all play out in this report and how this panel is going to be doing?

Secretary-General: One of the most important things is exactly to have a scientific entity that is independent, that is reliable, that doesn't serve the interests of any country, able to say exactly what is the state of the art of the applications of AI. And obviously, one of the major concerns we have is about the weaponization of AI. And I hope that this Panel will be a very important instrument to clarify what exactly is happening, what are the technologies available, how are they being used and what then can be discussed at the level of the Dialogue in July in order to make sure that we minimize the respective risks.