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UN Chief: AI Summit in India Ensures Global Voice in Tech's Future

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the "special meaning" of holding a major AI summit in India, stating it brings the crucial conversation on technology's future closer to the realities shaping much of the world. He argued that the future of Artificial Intelligence must not be monopolized by a handful of countries or left to the whims of a few billionaires. The discussions in New Delhi will feed into the UN's upcoming Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva this July, aiming to establish common safety measures and give every nation a voice. Guterres also highlighted the work of a new UN-appointed Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, which includes experts from across the globe.

Key Points: UN Chief: AI Future Must Not Be Decided by Few Countries or Billionaires

  • AI must belong to everyone
  • Summit brings conversation closer to global realities
  • Aims for inclusive governance with every country's voice
  • Leads to UN Global Dialogue in Geneva
  • Independent Scientific Panel with 40 global experts formed
2 min read

Holding AI summit in India has 'special meaning' for shaping its future: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says India AI summit is crucial for inclusive global governance, preventing AI monopoly by a handful of nations or tech billionaires.

"Meeting in India has special meaning... the future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries - or left to the whims of a few billionaires - Antonio Guterres"

New Delhi/United Nations, Feb 19 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that holding the AI summit in India has a "special meaning" because shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence technology cannot be monopolised by a coterie of few countries or billionaires.

"AI must belong to everyone. We must replace hype and fear with shared evidence - and close knowledge gaps", he said during the inauguration of the India AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

"Meeting in India has special meaning", he said. "It brings this conversation closer to the realities shaping much of the world because the future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries - or left to the whims of a few billionaires".

Speaking before world leaders, tech titans, and participants from over 100 countries, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and France's President Emmanuel Macron for convening the summit.

The discussions at the New Delhi summit will lead to the UN's Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva to be held in July, he said.

The meeting was convened by the General Assembly.

The dialogue "will give every country a voice" in discussions on the "guardrails that preserve human agency, human oversight - and human accountability", he said.

That meeting will aim "to advance on common safety measures - the foundation for interoperability, that builds trust across borders - for regulators and businesses - and turns compatibility into opportunity".

Guterres mentioned another initiative of the General Assembly, the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI with 40 experts from across the world.

"I urge member states, industry and civil society to contribute to the Panel's work", he said.

Balaraman Ravindran from IIT Madras is one of the experts on the panel.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Rohit P
Excellent point about closing knowledge gaps. In India, we have brilliant minds like Prof. Ravindran from IIT Madras, but we also have millions who don't understand AI at all. Any governance framework must include massive digital literacy drives alongside the high-level talks.
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David E
As someone working in tech, I appreciate the focus on interoperability and trust. So many AI tools are being built in silos. Having common safety standards will be crucial for global collaboration. Hope the Geneva meeting delivers concrete action plans.
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Ananya R
While the sentiment is good, I'm cautiously optimistic. Summits often produce great speeches but slow action. The real test will be if countries actually implement the guardrails discussed. Also, will the voices of smaller nations be heard equally, or will the usual powerful players dominate?
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Karthik V
"AI must belong to everyone" - this is the key principle. In India, we should focus on developing AI solutions for our specific challenges: agriculture, healthcare access, language translation for our diversity, and improving public services. Jai Hind!
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Sarah B
The inclusion of 40 global experts is a smart move. Science should lead this conversation, not just politics or corporate interests. Hoping the panel's recommendations are practical and prioritize human welfare over profit or power.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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