At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a strong warning about the future governance of artificial intelligence, saying that it must not be controlled by “a handful of countries or the whims of a few billionaires.” He stressed that leaving the direction of AI to a small group of wealthy tech leaders could deepen global inequality and exclude large parts of the world from the benefits of the technology. Guterres framed his remarks around the idea that AI should belong to everyone, not just elite powers.
Guterres outlined both the positive potential and serious risks associated with rapidly advancing AI. On the positive side, he noted that AI could accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, expand education opportunities, strengthen food security, bolster climate action, and improve access to essential public services if developed and distributed responsibly. However, he also cautioned that without inclusive governance, AI could amplify bias, deepen inequality, and fuel harm — particularly in societies lacking regulatory capacity or technological infrastructure.
To address these challenges, the UN chief called for the establishment of a $3 billion “Global Fund on AI” that would help ensure open, equitable access to AI technologies for countries that might otherwise be left behind. He framed this investment as modest — less than one percent of the annual revenue of a single large tech company — but essential for enabling broader participation in the AI era and closing gaps between wealthy and developing nations.
Guterres also urged stronger global guardrails and oversight mechanisms to promote accountability and protect people — including a warning that no child should be treated as a test subject for unregulated AI systems. He highlighted the newly established UN AI scientific advisory body intended to guide countries’ decisions on AI policy and reiterated the need for multilateral cooperation to ensure that AI serves the global common good rather than narrow private interests.
