UN chief stresses need to ensure human control of AI over use of force

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday stressed the importance of ensuring human control of artificial intelligence (AI) over the use of force.

“Let us be clear: humanity’s fate cannot be left to an algorithm. Humans must always retain authority over life-and-death decisions,” he told an open debate of the Security Council on AI and international peace and security.

The Security Council and UN member states must ensure that military use of AI remains in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter. Human control and judgment must be preserved in every use of force, he said.

AI is no longer a distant horizon. It is here, transforming daily life, the information space, and the global economy at breathtaking speed. The question is not whether AI will influence international peace and security, but how the world will shape that influence, said Guterres.

Without guardrails, AI can be weaponized. AI-enabled cyberattacks can disrupt or destroy critical infrastructure in minutes. The ability to fabricate and manipulate audio and video threatens information integrity, fuels polarization, and can trigger diplomatic crises. And the massive energy and water demands of large-scale models, coupled with competition over critical minerals, are creating new drivers of tension, he warned.

Guterres said coherent global regulatory frameworks for AI must be in place.

Governments, platforms, media and civil society must cooperate to detect and deter AI-generated deception -- from disinformation campaigns to deepfakes targeting peace processes, humanitarian access and elections, he said.

“We need transparency in the entire AI life cycle: rapid and verified attribution of information sources and their dissemination, and systemic safeguards to prevent AI systems from spreading disinformation and igniting violence,” he said.

There is also a need to close the AI capacity gap, said Guterres. “Technology can accelerate sustainable development, foster stability and peace. We must create space for all nations to shape our AI future.”

From nuclear arms control to aviation safety, the international community has risen to the challenge of technologies that could destabilize societies, by agreeing to rules, by building institutions, and by insisting on human dignity, he said. “The window is closing to shape AI -- for peace, for justice, for humanity. We must act without delay.”

- Agencies