GENEVA — United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday called on governments and companies developing advanced artificial intelligence systems to take urgent action to address what he described as the “unprecedented risks” posed by frontier AI.

In a statement issued by the UN human rights office, Türk warned that the world is “on the cusp of irreversible change,” with consequences that could affect not only the current generation but generations to come.

He called on states and companies to urgently mobilize through multilateral forums to develop a coordinated approach to governing advanced, frontier AI models, with human rights at the center of those efforts.

Türk said the rapid race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems is creating risks across virtually every aspect of human life. He stressed that voluntary self-regulation by AI companies is not sufficient on its own, arguing that governments must establish effective safeguards and ensure that AI development remains consistent with international human rights law.

The UN human rights chief also warned about the potential consequences of increasingly autonomous AI systems, including risks to essential services, critical infrastructure, communications and democratic institutions.

Türk urged countries and leading AI companies to act without delay, emphasizing that no individual country can effectively regulate the technology on its own and that no company should be left to determine independently which risks society should accept.

The warning comes amid growing international debate over the rapid development of increasingly capable AI systems and concerns about their potential impact on human rights, security and society.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a major overhaul of the international system, saying the institutions created after the Second World War must change to reflect the growing economic and geopolitical influence of emerging economies. Speaking to leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Guterres said the world of today is fundamentally different from that of 1945 and that global institutions must reflect current economic, demographic and geopolitical realities.

“Today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945,” Guterres said. “Our institutional structures must reflect it.”

He said the countries represented at the summit reflected the changing balance of global power and pointed to the emergence of an increasingly multipolar world. Guterres argued that multipolarity can bring greater balance and equity to international institutions, but said that would require reforms to bodies including the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions.

The UN chief outlined four priorities for what he described as inclusive global growth: financing, technology, climate justice and peace. On development financing, Guterres said developing countries need substantial international support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He urged multilateral development banks to become “bigger, better and bolder” to help meet the scale of financing required. Turning to artificial intelligence, he warned that the benefits of the technology remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies and countries.

“Unchecked, the AI divide will widen every other divide — in income, in opportunity, in security, and in sovereignty,” Guterres warned.

Climate change was another major focus of his address. Guterres pointed to extreme heat, melting glaciers, wildfires and devastating floods as signs of the worsening climate crisis and warned that a stronger El Niño could make conditions even more difficult as the world approaches the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels.

He called on wealthy nations to honor existing climate-finance commitments, including increased adaptation financing and stronger support for countries facing loss and damage. He also criticized the exploitation of critical minerals, calling for an end to what he described as “plundering.”

On peace and security, Guterres highlighted conflicts and crises in Gaza, the wider Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. He urged countries to uphold the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guterres said reforming the international system should be viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a concession to emerging powers.

“As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all with the United Nations at its centre,” he said.

The BRICS summit, hosted by India, brought together leaders of major emerging economies and senior international officials as discussions focused on global governance, economic cooperation, development, technology, climate change and international peace and security.

Shibbir Ahmed, WASHINGTON DC  — Artificial intelligence could give developing countries a rare opportunity to accelerate economic growth, improve public services and address long-standing development challenges, according to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.

The report examines the potential impact of artificial intelligence on 5.6 billion people living in low- and middle-income countries and argues that developing economies do not need to build the world’s most advanced AI systems to benefit from the technology. Instead, the World Bank recommends that countries follow a three-part approach: adopt, adapt and advance.

The report says developing countries can begin by adopting existing AI tools in areas such as health care, agriculture, education and government services. They can then adapt those technologies to local languages, institutions, data and development needs.

AI-powered tools are already helping farmers improve weather-related decisions, supporting medical screening and assisting teachers in preparing educational materials, according to the World Bank.

The institution warns, however, that the benefits of AI will not be automatic. Reliable infrastructure, digital connectivity, education, skills, strong institutions and access to relevant data will be essential if developing economies are to translate AI adoption into higher productivity and broader prosperity.

The report also highlights the risk of a widening global AI divide. A small number of countries and companies currently dominate advanced AI models, semiconductor production and data-center infrastructure, potentially creating new forms of technological dependence.

For most developing economies, the World Bank says building frontier AI models from scratch is unlikely to be a realistic near-term strategy because of the enormous costs involved in computing infrastructure, data and specialized talent.

Instead, countries should focus on practical applications that expand access to expertise and improve productivity while building the infrastructure and skills needed for deeper participation in the AI economy.

The World Bank describes the rapid spread of AI as a historic opportunity for developing economies, noting that AI is spreading faster than earlier general-purpose technologies such as electricity and the internet.

The report argues that strategic adoption and adaptation could allow developing countries to capture significant economic and social gains without having to compete directly with the world’s largest technology companies in developing frontier AI systems.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York: The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday issued a renewed and urgent call for international rules governing autonomous weapons, warning that the world is dangerously close to a point where machines could autonomously target human beings.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said governments must act urgently to prevent weapons from making life-and-death decisions without meaningful human control.

“We are now dangerously close to crossing a moral red line: the autonomous targeting of humans by machines,” the two leaders said in a joint appeal issued in Geneva on August 25. They called for negotiations to begin immediately on a legally binding international instrument establishing clear prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapon systems.

Risks are increasing

The UN and Red Cross said their fundamental concerns have remained unchanged since they first called for specific restrictions three years ago, but the risks have intensified as weapons technology has advanced rapidly.

Autonomous weapons are systems capable of selecting and engaging targets with limited or no direct human intervention. The growing use of artificial intelligence in military technology has raised concerns that machines could eventually determine independently who should be attacked.

The organizations stressed that autonomous weapons are not a distant possibility. A race toward greater autonomy in weapons systems is already underway, while international regulations have not kept pace with technological development.

Human judgment must remain central

A major concern is whether autonomous systems can reliably distinguish between combatants and civilians, particularly in complex battlefield conditions. Humanitarian organizations have also warned about the difficulty of determining responsibility when an autonomous system makes a fatal error. If a machine independently selects and attacks a person, questions could arise over who should be held legally responsible for the consequences.

At a Geneva briefing, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs emphasized that some decisions should never be removed from human hands — particularly the decision over whether another human being lives or dies.

International talks have made limited progress

Governments have been discussing autonomous weapons under the United Nations framework since 2014. Important groundwork has been established through the UN General Assembly and the Group of Governmental Experts working under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

However, negotiations have struggled to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. The UN and Red Cross now want governments to move beyond discussions and establish concrete international rules. The renewed appeal comes ahead of further international discussions in Geneva and a major review conference scheduled for November.

Growing use of artificial intelligence in warfare

Concerns have increased as artificial intelligence-assisted and semi-autonomous weapons have become more prominent in modern conflicts, including in Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, Iran and the Gulf region. Some fully autonomous defensive systems are already in military use, including systems designed to intercept incoming missiles. However, there is currently no confirmed evidence that fully autonomous weapons have been used to deliberately target humans without human involvement.

The UN and Red Cross argue that governments should establish safeguards before technology reaches a point where machines can independently make decisions over human life.

“This year must mark a turning point,” the two organizations said, urging governments to show political determination and move toward decisive international action.