“Guided by science, we can transform AI from a source of uncertainty into a reliable engine for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said. 

New expert panel 

He stressed that “if we want AI to serve humanity, policy cannot be built on guesswork,” underscoring the need for “facts we can trust – and share – across countries and across sectors.” 

The Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence aims to help close “the AI knowledge gap” and assess the real impacts these new technologies have across economies and societies so that countries can act with the same clarity regardless of their level of AI capacity. Accelerating progress, anticipating risks 

The UN chief was adamant that science-led governance of AI “is not a brake on progress” but rather “an accelerator for solutions.”   

Furthermore, the international community will be able to anticipate AI impacts early – such as risks for children or labour markets.  That way “countries can prepare, protect and invest in people.” 

He noted that international cooperation is difficult today amid strained trust and growing technological rivalry. 

The Secretary-General said countries can align their “technical baselines”, guided by the Independent Panel and another UN initiative, the Global Dialogue on AI Governance to be held in Geneva in May. Meaningful human oversight 

This requires “meaningful human oversight in every high-stakes decision – in justice, healthcare, credit” as well as “clear accountability – so responsibility is never outsourced to an algorithm” he said. 

<section style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; max-width: 100%; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: " pingfang="" sc",="" system-ui,="" -apple-system,="" blinkmacsystemfont,="" "helvetica="" neue",="" "hiragino="" sans="" gb",="" "microsoft="" yahei="" ui",="" yahei",="" arial,="" sans-serif;="" font-size:="" 17px;="" letter-spacing:="" 0.544px;="" box-sizing:="" border-box="" !important;="" overflow-wrap:="" break-word="" !important;"="">“People must understand how decisions are made, challenge them – and get answers.”