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UN Launches Global AI Panel with 40 Experts to Guide Governance & Risks

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of 40 members to the new Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The geographically diverse and gender-balanced panel was selected from more than 2,600 candidates following an independent review by UN agencies. It will provide impartial assessments of AI's opportunities, risks, and impacts to inform global governance dialogues. The panel, established by a 2025 General Assembly resolution, will issue annual reports synthesizing scientific research on the technology's transformation of the world.

Key Points: UN Appoints 40-Member Global AI Panel for Scientific Insight

  • 40 global experts appointed for 3-year term
  • Selected from over 2,600 candidates
  • Panel is first global scientific body of its kind
  • Will issue annual evidence-based AI reports
2 min read

UN Chief says newly appointed AI panel to provide insights into AI opportunities, impacts

UN Secretary-General announces new independent scientific AI panel to assess global opportunities, risks, and impacts, ensuring evidence-based governance.

"In a world where AI is racing ahead, this Panel will provide what's been missing -- rigorous, independent scientific insight - Antonio Guterres"

New York, February 13

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his views after the appointment of the members of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence by the General Assembly.

In an official statement, he called it a foundational step towards global scientific understanding of AI and said, "The 40 members of the new Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, established within the United Nations, have been appointed by the General Assembly of the United Nations for a three-year term. They will serve in their personal capacity."

He further shared that the members were selected from more than 2,600 candidates, after independent review by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

According to the UN Chief, a multidisciplinary group of leading AI experts from across the globe --geographically diverse and gender-balanced --would provide independent and impartial assessments of AI's opportunities, risks, and impacts, including for the new Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

"In a world where AI is racing ahead, this Panel will provide what's been missing -- rigorous, independent scientific insight that enables all Member States, regardless of their technological capacity, to engage on an equal footing", he said.

In his concluding remarks, he expressed confidence that their work would inform collective dialogue on AI and support evidence-based decisions grounded in solidarity.

According to the United Nations official website, the General Assembly on Thursday appointed 40 members recommended by the Secretary-General to the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI), following a request from the United States that the vote be on the record.

Established by General Assembly resolution in 2025, the Panel is the first global scientific body of its kind, and it aims to bring experts together to assess how the technology is transforming the world and its people.

It will issue an annual report containing evidence-based scientific assessments that synthesise and analyse existing research related to the technology's opportunities, risks and impacts.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good step, but I'm skeptical. Will this panel actually influence policy in countries like India, or will it be another report that gathers dust? The real test is whether governments, including ours, will act on their recommendations. We need action, not just more dialogue. 🤔
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Aman W
Excellent! A global, gender-balanced panel is the right approach. AI development has been too concentrated in a few countries. Hope they include perspectives on how AI can benefit agriculture and healthcare in developing economies. India's Aadhaar and UPI are great case studies for responsible tech scaling.
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Sarah B
As someone working in tech, the "geographically diverse" part is crucial. Most AI ethics debates happen in Western silos. India's experience with scaling digital infrastructure for a billion people offers invaluable lessons for global AI governance. Fingers crossed the panel listens to those on the ground.
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Vikram M
Hope they address job displacement seriously. In our IT hubs, there's both excitement and fear about AI. We need a roadmap that ensures skilling and transition support for workers, not just theoretical risk assessments. The panel must think about the human cost.
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Kavya N
Finally! A scientific panel free from corporate influence (hopefully). The selection from 2600 candidates sounds rigorous. Let's hope their annual reports are clear and actionable for policymakers in Delhi and state capitals. We can't afford to lag behind in this critical area. 🙏

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