Addressing the inaugural government-level Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Guterres warned that AI can reshape economies, transform the world of work, sway elections, and tilt the balance of security.
While AI poses significant opportunities, such as in healthcare and education, Guterres said the world's institutions were not prepared for machines that make decisions.
He said that technological innovation needs to be accompanied by appropriate control mechanisms to mitigate risks and ensure benefits for society. "Innovation needs guardrails … If AI is to be powerful, it must be governed," Guterres added.
The UN chief underlined the need to protect children from the risks of AI. He also called for nations to adopt an AI Child Safety Pledge under which AI developers will need to prove their technological products are safe without child-specific safety testing and independent oversight.
