UN chief calls for ‘less hype, less fear’ over AI as new expert panel is formed

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for a more measured global approach to artificial intelligence, urging “less hype, less fear” as he announced the composition of a new expert panel aimed at strengthening governance of the rapidly evolving technology.

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Guterres confirmed that the UN General Assembly had endorsed 40 members for the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.

The advisory body, first proposed in August, is designed to serve a function for AI similar to what the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides for global warming. Its inaugural report is expected to be released ahead of the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance scheduled for July.

Guterres emphasised the need for governance rooted in scientific evidence, stating that “science-led governance is not a brake on progress” but rather a mechanism to make it “safer, fairer, and more widely shared.”

“The message is simple: Less hype, less fear. More facts and evidence,” he said.

The UN chief acknowledged the challenges posed by the speed of AI development, noting that innovation is “moving at the speed of light outpacing our collective ability to fully understand it let alone govern it.”

“We are barrelling into the unknown,” he warned.

Guterres argued that a clearer understanding of what AI systems can and cannot do would enable governments to establish “smarter, risk-based guardrails” rather than resorting to rough measures.

He also stressed the importance of human oversight, stating that the goal is to “make human control a technical reality not a slogan.” This, he added, requires “clear accountability so responsibility is never outsourced to an algorithm.”

Among the experts proposed by Guterres for the panel are journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa of the Philippines, and Canadian AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio.

The summit, a five-day gathering focused on artificial intelligence, is expected to conclude later on Friday with a joint statement from dozens of world leaders and ministers outlining a shared approach to managing the technology.