United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning to global technology leaders about the unchecked risks posed by artificial intelligence, stressing that the future of AI must not be left to the whims of a select few. His remarks came at a major global AI summit hosted in India, AFP reported.
Calling for shared responsibility in shaping the future of advanced technologies, Guterres urged the world’s leading tech magnates to contribute to a $3 billion Global Fund on AI, designed to ensure equitable access to the rapidly advancing field.
“AI must be for everyone,” he emphasized, cautioning that allowing only a handful of wealthy nations or influential billionaires to determine the direction of AI would deepen global inequality. “If we fail to act swiftly, disparities around the world will grow even wider.”
The UN chief outlined the transformative potential of AI when used responsibly. He noted that AI could revolutionize healthcare, expand access to education, enhance food security, support climate resilience, strengthen disaster response systems, and improve essential public services.
However, he warned that the same technology carries significant dangers if misused. “AI can just as easily widen inequality, reinforce biases, and cause serious harm,” Guterres said.
To help nations navigate the complexities of this fast-evolving field, the United Nations has established a Global Scientific Advisory Council on AI. Guterres stressed that protecting people—especially children—must remain central. “No child should ever become a test subject for unregulated AI,” he said.
Addressing top industry executives including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Google’s Sundar Pichai, he reiterated the urgency of establishing global safeguards and building early-stage AI governance capacity.
“Our goal is to raise $3 billion—less than one percent of a major tech company’s annual revenue,” he noted. “It is a modest investment to ensure that the benefits of AI reach everyone.”
Guterres also warned that without this collective effort, many countries risk being left behind as the world accelerates into the AI era—widening geopolitical and economic divides.
Highlighting a pressing but often overlooked challenge, he said that the massive growth of AI systems is driving up global demand for electricity and water. He called for environmentally responsible energy use in data centers, ensuring that the burden does not fall on ordinary people.