From classrooms and workplaces to healthcare and daily life, AI is rapidly permeating nearly every aspect of modern society. Whether people see themselves as “boomers” (optimists) or “doomers” (pessimists), the technology’s global impact is already undeniable.

For years, the UN has pushed for a people‑first approach, arguing that AI must remain subject to human oversight, human rights standards and ethical guardrails.

UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned the Security Council in 2024 that the future of humanity “must never be left to the ‘black box’ of an algorithm”. He stressed that human oversight must remain central to AI decision‑making, especially in sectors affecting rights, freedoms and livelihoods.

Since then, UN agencies have worked to consolidate global policy guidelines on AI governance, drawing on the principles set out in the Global Digital Compact, which calls for transparency, accountability and equitable access to AI technologies.

One of the UN’s core messages is that education must be strengthened if societies are to adapt to an AI‑enabled future. This includes embedding digital and AI literacy in classrooms, teacher training, and national curricula.

Shafika Isaacs, who leads the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation work on technology and AI in education, warns that prioritising machines over teachers would be a fundamental mistake.

“AI can manage data transfer, but it cannot manage human development,” she said. “Education is fundamentally a social, human and cultural experience, not a technical download.”

UNESCO estimates that the global education system will need 44 million additional teachers by 2030, underscoring the need for investment in people rather than relying solely on automated systems.

Public anxiety over job losses remains high. A 2025 World Economic Forum survey found that 41% of global employers planned to reduce parts of their workforce due to AI automation.

However, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), working with global researchers, has concluded that while one in four jobs is likely to be transformed, the overall impact may not lead to net job losses. Instead, the nature of work is expected to change significantly, with rising demand for roles requiring human judgment, creativity, emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning.

The ILO says workers will increasingly need to adopt a lifelong‑learning mindset, continuously upgrading skills as technology evolves.

Another growing concern is the concentration of AI development within a handful of large technology companies. The UN has warned that if access to AI tools remains limited to well‑resourced states and corporations, inequality between and within countries will widen.

UN strategy papers emphasise that education, economic policy and governance frameworks must ensure the benefits of AI are shared broadly, especially in lower‑income countries.

Since 2021, when UNESCO adopted its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the UN has stressed that human rights must be the non‑negotiable baseline for all AI systems.

The recommendation argues that technologies that threaten dignity, equality or freedom should be restricted or banned, and that governments must actively regulate to prevent abuses.

The document calls for:

• transparent AI systems;
• data‑protection safeguards;
• protections against algorithmic bias;
• accountability mechanisms; and
• clear prohibitions on harmful AI tools.

The UN stresses that no single government, corporation or civil‑society organisation can manage AI’s risks alone. Instead, it is calling for greater international cooperation, including:

• global dialogues on governance and ethics;
• UN‑supported platforms for coordination;
• partnerships between governments and industry;
• investment in education and workforce training; and
• equitable technology‑sharing frameworks.

With AI reshaping societies at unprecedented speed, the UN argues that the international community must act now to ensure a future where technology enhances, rather than undermines, human rights, dignity and equality.

–UN/ChannelAfrica–