The UN General Assembly decisively voted on Thursday to endorse a global scientific panel of 40 members focused on the effects and risks of artificial intelligence, despite strong objections from the United States.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who formed the panel, described the adoption as a fundamental step towards worldwide scientific comprehension of AI.
"In a world where AI is advancing rapidly," he stated, "this panel will offer what hasn't been available - thorough, unbiased scientific understanding that allows all member states, irrespective of their technological abilities, to participate on an equal basis."
He referred to it as the initial entirely autonomous global scientific organization focused on closing the knowledge gap in AI and evaluating its genuine economic and social effects.
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In the 193-member assembly, the vote stood at 117-2, with the United States and Paraguay casting "no" votes, while Tunisia and Ukraine chose to abstain. Allies of America in Europe, Asia, and other regions supported the decision along with Russia, China, and numerous developing nations.
US Mission counselor Lauren Lovelace referred to the panel as "a considerable overextension of the U.N.'s authority and jurisdiction" and stated, "AI governance is not an issue for the UN to prescribe."
As the global leader in AI, the U.S. is determined to maximize AI innovation and strengthen its infrastructure, she stated, and the Trump administration will back "like-minded countries collaborating to promote AI development aligned with our common values."
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"We will not relinquish control of AI to global organizations that might be swayed by authoritarian governments aiming to enforce their idea of monitored surveillance societies," Lovelace stated, noting that the Trump administration is worried about "the opaque manner" in which the panel was selected.
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Guterres said the 40 members were selected from more than 2,600 candidates after an independent review by the International Telecommunications Union, the U.N. Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies and UNESCO, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. They will serve for three-year terms.