United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to establish global rules for artificial intelligence, warning that humanity must not let AI “vibe-code” its future. Speaking at the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, he said rapid AI development is outpacing oversight. Guterres stressed that coordinated international action is essential to ensure AI benefits society while protecting human rights.
Addressing governments, technology companies, academics, and civil society representatives, Guterres said AI systems are increasingly making decisions with limited human oversight. He warned that existing institutions were designed to regulate machines that follow instructions, not systems capable of acting independently. The UN chief also raised concerns about AI’s growing role in spreading misinformation and reducing public trust.
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Guterres highlighted the concentration of AI power in a small number of companies and countries, arguing that many nations have little influence over decisions shaping their futures. He called for common international standards to assess AI risks and strengthen safety measures. He also proposed an AI Child Safety Pledge requiring companies to prove systems used by children are safe and free from abuse.
The UN chief urged greater support for developing countries to prevent the digital divide from becoming an AI divide. He said he would ask the UN General Assembly to establish a Global Fund for AI to improve skills, data access, and affordable computing resources. Guterres also renewed calls for technology companies to reduce AI’s environmental impact by powering data centres with renewable energy by 2030.
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Guterres described autonomous AI-powered weapons as his greatest concern, calling them “killer robots” that should be banned under international law. He said machines should never be allowed to decide who lives or dies without meaningful human control. Warning that time is running out, he urged governments to create effective safeguards before AI development advances beyond human oversight.