Sam Altman to Brief UN Security Council on AI

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman will brief the United Nations Security Council in person next week as the 15-member body discusses artificial intelligence and international security during the UN General Assembly.

An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that Altman will address an open Security Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 23. His remarks are expected to focus on international coordination, shared safety standards and measures OpenAI is taking to ensure that artificial intelligence is safe and benefits people globally.

The meeting has been convened by France, which holds the Security Council presidency for September, and will be chaired by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot. A French concept note circulated among council members highlights concerns about the misuse of AI and calls for urgent action to promote its safe and responsible development.

The council is expected to examine risks associated with the loss of control over increasingly advanced AI models, including their potential use in activities that could affect international peace and security. Diplomats have also indicated that senior representatives from Anthropic could attend, although their participation had not been confirmed.

The Security Council first held a dedicated discussion on the risks of artificial intelligence in 2023. Since then, concerns over AI’s potential impact on security, warfare and global stability have become a growing issue at the United Nations.

Altman has previously warned about the potential risks of advanced AI. In a 2015 essay, he described the development of superhuman machine intelligence as a major threat to humanity’s continued existence.