‘The science is here’: UN chief welcomes first global AI assessment
‘The science is here’: UN chief welcomes first global AI assessment
The science is here – Wednesday marked the release of groundbreaking scientific insights and potential strategies for utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) globally, as the inaugural independent evaluation of AI’s opportunities, risks, and societal effects was unveiled by a UN-led expert group.
Global AI Assessment Launched
The Preliminary Report from the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI offers a comprehensive analysis of AI’s transformative potential and challenges, authored by the first worldwide scientific body dedicated to assessing its real-world impact across economies and communities.
“The science is here,” stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the report’s unveiling. “We can no longer say we did not know. What we do with it is now up to all of us.”
Highlighting the urgency of the moment, Guterres emphasized that without unified guidelines, governments and individuals risk losing influence over AI’s trajectory. He urged policymakers to act promptly, stating, “my message to governments is simple: do not wait.”
AI’s Rapid Expansion and Disparities
Over one billion people globally now engage with conversational AI weekly, yet decision-making in key sectors remains hindered by conflicting evidence and uncertainty. The report underscores that while AI adoption is accelerating, its spread is uneven, with developing nations lagging significantly behind their more technologically advanced counterparts.
Yoshua Bengio, co-chair of the panel, noted that AI’s capabilities are evolving faster than scientific comprehension or governmental capacity to respond. “AI capabilities are outpacing both scientific understanding and governments’ ability to adapt,” he said. “With growing evidence of deceptive AI behaviour, science currently cannot guarantee that as capabilities continue to increase, AI will not cause catastrophic harm, either on its own or due to malicious users.”
Opportunities and Risks
Despite its promise, AI’s potential to revolutionize fields like healthcare, education, and climate action is tempered by pressing concerns. The report highlights that AI systems may soon automate complex tasks previously requiring weeks of human effort, raising critical questions about labor markets, cybersecurity, and the control of future AI iterations.
“The technology is transformative, but if the world keeps moving along this trajectory, humanity will fail to realise the gains it promises,” warned Maria Ressa, another co-chair. “Risks to societies, security, and the human species are already ‘too high’.”
Additional challenges include disparities in computational infrastructure, with the United States accounting for 75% of the computing power among the world’s top 500 AI supercomputers and China contributing 15%. Both nations’ companies dominate the development of leading general-purpose AI models. Meanwhile, local realities often remain unrepresented in global AI discourse, compounding the risk of misaligned policies and outcomes.