At a powerful global AI summit in India, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a clear and urgent message to the world’s most influential technology leaders: Artificial intelligence cannot be left in the hands of a few powerful billionaires.
In a room filled with global policymakers and top tech executives, Guterres stressed that the future of AI must serve all of humanity — not just a small circle of wealthy corporations or dominant nations.
“AI must belong to everyone,” he declared firmly.
He warned that if urgent action is not taken, AI could deepen global inequality, widen economic gaps, and leave developing nations locked out of technological progress.
A $3 Billion Call for Global Responsibility
To prevent this imbalance, Guterres urged technology leaders to support the creation of a Global Fund on AI, targeting US$3 billion (RM11.7 billion). The purpose of the fund is to ensure that all countries — especially those with fewer resources — can access and responsibly use this fast-evolving technology.
He emphasized that the amount represents less than one percent of the annual revenue of a single major tech company, calling it a small investment compared to the global impact AI can have when shared responsibly.
Without proper funding and cooperation, he warned that many nations could be “logged out of the AI age,” further dividing the world between digital leaders and digital outsiders.
The Promise — And The Risk
Guterres acknowledged that AI holds enormous potential. When developed ethically and inclusively, it can:
Accelerate medical breakthroughs
Expand educational opportunities
Strengthen food security
Improve disaster preparedness
Boost climate action
Enhance access to public services
But he also highlighted the darker possibilities.
If left unchecked, AI could amplify bias, exploit vulnerable populations, increase surveillance misuse, and fuel misinformation. He stressed that no child should become a test subject for unregulated AI technologies and that people must be protected from exploitation.
To address these concerns, the UN has established an AI scientific advisory body to guide governments in making informed decisions about AI governance.
Environmental Costs Cannot Be Ignored
Another key warning focused on AI’s rising energy and water demands. As data centres expand rapidly, Guterres cautioned that clean energy must power these systems.
He warned against shifting environmental and resource costs onto vulnerable communities, stating that technological progress must not come at the expense of those already struggling.
A Moment That Demands Global Unity
The summit brought together global leaders and technology executives, including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Sundar Pichai of Google, highlighting how closely government policy and corporate innovation are now intertwined.
The message from the UN was not anti-technology — it was a call for shared responsibility.
AI is advancing at extraordinary speed. The question is no longer whether it will shape the future — it is who will shape it, and for whose benefit.
This moment calls for leadership that prioritizes humanity over profit, inclusion over dominance, and long-term global stability over short-term gains.
The future of artificial intelligence must not be decided behind closed boardroom doors. It must be shaped by global cooperation, transparency, and fairness — because the world we build with AI will belong to all of us.
