United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the establishment of a 39-member advisory panel focused on addressing global challenges in the governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

This diverse panel comprises individuals with expertise in various fields, including technology company leaders, government representatives from countries such as Spain and Saudi Arabia, and academics from nations like the United States, Russia, and Japan. Prominent figures from the tech industry, such as Sony’s Chief Technology Officer Hiroaki Kitano, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, and Microsoft’s Chief Responsible AI Officer Natasha Crampton, are among the executive representatives from technology firms serving on the panel.

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The advisory board is globally representative, spanning six continents and featuring members with diverse backgrounds, from AI expert Vilas Dhar in the United States to Professor Yi Zeng in China and Egyptian legal expert Mohamed Farahat.

Guterres highlighted the potential for AI to bring about positive transformations, while also expressing concerns about its malicious use, which could undermine trust in institutions, weaken social cohesion, and threaten democracy.

The international community is increasingly recognizing the need for coordinated efforts to govern AI as governments work on crafting legislation to regulate its proliferation. The United Nations panel aims to provide preliminary recommendations by the end of this year, with the final set of recommendations expected to be released by the summer of 2024. This initiative reflects the growing importance of addressing AI governance on a global scale to ensure its responsible and ethical use.