UN launches two institutions to govern artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is transforming economies, societies, and geopolitics. And while that technology is moving at lightning speed, there’s a feeling that many development institutions — from multilateral bodies to nonprofits to philanthropic foundations — are struggling to keep pace. But on Thursday, the United Nations launched two new institutions to change that: an independent scientific panel to assess AI’s risks, opportunities, and challenges; and a “Global Dialogue” for governments, U.N. agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector to discuss AI governance. “We know we need innovative solutions that extend beyond lines of code,” said Vilas Dhar, the president of the AI-focused philanthropy the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. “Now, a forum is created where we can do that effectively, and it will be one of a set of institutions that I think will come out of this moment of extreme transformation that we face.” Dhar was speaking at the Devex Impact House one day before the launch of both institutions — and nearly a month after the bodies were established by the U.N. General Assembly through a resolution. On Thursday, Dhar’s remarks were followed by those of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who said that with these institutions, “every country will have a seat at the table of AI.” “It will complement existing efforts around the world — including at the OECD, the G7, and regional organizations — and provide an inclusive, stable home for AI governance coordination efforts,” said Guterres, speaking at a high-level multi-stakeholder meeting at the U.N. “In short, this is about creating a space where governments, industry, and civil society can advance common solutions together.” The scientific panel will be made up of 40 members, Guterres said, and serve as the world’s “early-warning system and evidence engine.” Their assessments, he continued, will inform the work of the “Global Dialogue,” and in turn, help policymakers think through AI governance. “The approach that the U.N. is taking right now is more into partnerships, and more open to including [the entire] ecosystem,” said Deemah AlYahya, the secretary-general of the multilateral Digital Cooperation Organization, speaking beside Dhar at the Devex Impact House. “It’s a new mindset for the U.N.” For both Dhar and AlYahya, such a shift is desperately needed. Today, 2.8 billion people — some 35% of the world’s population — remain disconnected from the internet, while in the most developed countries, billions of dollars are being invested in AI. Dhar spoke of India, which has pioneered several digital-first platforms that serve billions of people: The nation’s digital identity system now reaches more than 1.4 billion, and India’s instant payment system processed nearly 17 billion transactions in January 2025 alone. On the other hand, AlYahya spoke of Gaza: because there is a digital blackout, she said, children cannot connect to the internet and continue their schooling. “The power of digital is a lifeline, and we have to look at it that way,” said AlYahya. “Not from a luxury perspective, but for continuity of life and prosperity. It’s as important right now as water and electricity.” For years, countries — and multilateral institutions — have been struggling to govern the rapidly accelerating world of AI. Countries such as the United States have resisted doing so, with Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, stating that the country “totally reject[ed] all efforts by international bodies to assert centralized control and governance of AI.” But Dhar described how earlier this week, he was sitting in a room in the U.N.’s basement with ministers from Kenya, India, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and China, working through how to build both new AI-focused institutions — and how to bring global financing on AI to the world in a new way. The result, he said, was what was announced on Thursday. Dhar made reference to a speech two days beforehand on the main stage of the U.N. General Assembly, which saw U.S. President Donald Trump launch an attack on multilateral traditions and institutions. “I think many of us saw what happened on the main stage,” said Dhar. “A searing indictment of multilateralism, the kind of structures and formats of international diplomacy, such as it is. That’s the tale of one U.N. Well, there’s a second one.”