NEW YORK, NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, cautioned on Tuesday that the UN is not keeping up with advancements in artificial intelligence. He pointed out that AI already plays a role in crucial systems impacting daily life globally. Rahman called for safeguards rooted in scientific understanding to protect public interests while allowing continued innovation. His comments opened the General Debate at United Nations headquarters in New York, linking effective AI regulation with broader efforts to enhance the organization’s responsiveness to global changes.
Rahman stressed the importance of governments remaining at the forefront of international discussions on AI governance and regulation. He also highlighted that governments alone do not possess all the necessary expertise, technology, capital or influence to address the issue effectively. He noted that businesses, researchers, innovators, and civil society already hold substantial knowledge and technical capacity. Rahman urged the United Nations to actively engage with those involved in developing and deploying artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to expand expertise available to policymakers as AI systems become more deeply embedded in economies and public infrastructure.
According to the UNGA president, artificial intelligence is now integrated into water systems, electricity grids, health records, economies, and military operations. This level of integration sets AI apart from earlier global challenges linked to emerging technologies, he said. Rahman also issued a warning against an arms race for AI dominance, emphasizing that governments need prudent, scientifically supported safeguards. At the same time, he argued that international AI governance should foster innovation and acknowledge the potential of technology to support human progress.
UN expands global AI governance framework
The United Nations has established new mechanisms for international dialogue on artificial intelligence. Under Resolution 79/325, the General Assembly set up the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The first session of the Global Dialogue was held in Geneva on July 6 and 7, 2026, providing a platform for governments and stakeholders to address key questions regarding AI regulation. The 40-member scientific panel offers independent analysis on AI opportunities, risks, and impacts to inform international policy discussions.
Rahman also addressed the topic of multilateral AI governance in New York on September 10, ahead of the start of the General Debate. He emphasized the critical question of how governments and other stakeholders will regulate technologies already transforming societies. On September 20, Rahman met with International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, discussing cooperation between the General Assembly and the ITU on AI governance, as well as addressing the challenges posed by advanced AI and the importance of ongoing engagement with industry sectors as international talks continue.
AI discussions integrated into broader UN reform efforts
Rahman placed artificial intelligence within a larger call for a more open and inclusive United Nations. While emphasizing that member states and the UN Secretariat remain essential to the organization’s work, he acknowledged that they cannot cover every needed capability. His remarks highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration with businesses, researchers, innovators, and civil society in areas where relevant expertise exists. These comments were made during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York, with the 81st session’s General Debate running from September 22 to September 26, concluding on September 28.
Rahman presented AI governance as an area where the UN must respond more swiftly to technological developments. He cited previous international efforts on nuclear non-proliferation, ozone protection, and human cloning as examples of the organization’s engagement with significant global challenges. His speech called for “prudent and reliable guardrails” backed by scientific evidence and broader expertise, stressing that governments should remain central in the process. The proposed approach combines leadership from governments with technical input from institutions and organizations already involved in developing, studying, and using artificial intelligence.