UN Secretary‑General António Guterres announced the development on Wednesday, stressing the urgency of establishing trusted, independent guidance on AI at a time when technological advances are accelerating rapidly.
“AI is moving at the speed of light,” he said. “We need shared understandings to build effective guardrails, unlock innovation for the common good, and foster cooperation. The Panel will help the world separate fact from fakes, and science from slop.”
The creation of the panel stems from efforts launched in 2023, following the global surge of interest in AI sparked by the release of ChatGPT and other pioneering technologies. In response to mounting concerns about the societal risks and governance gaps surrounding AI, Guterres convened a group of leading technologists and academics and asked them to propose practical steps for improving global oversight.
Their recommendations included setting up an independent, UN‑supported scientific body that could evaluate AI developments, strengthen public understanding and guide international policy choices. Guterres said the new panel will be the first fully independent, globally mandated scientific body dedicated to closing the AI knowledge gap.
Its role will be to examine real‑world impacts across sectors such as health, education and energy, to exchange cutting‑edge research, and to offer objective assessments that governments can rely on when shaping AI governance.
At a media briefing in New York on Wednesday, Guterress and his Special Envoy on Technology, Amandeep Gill, confirmed that 40 nominees have been submitted to the UN General Assembly, which will make the final appointments.
Gill said the individuals were selected for their internationally recognised expertise in AI and related fields, while ensuring balanced representation across regions and genders. Nineteen of the nominees are women and twenty‑one are men.
The list includes several prominent figures. Among them is Sonia Livingstone of the United Kingdom, a professor at the London School of Economics known for her work on media literacy and digital rights.
Balaraman Ravindran of India, who heads the Department of Data Science and AI at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, is also nominated. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines is another notable candidate.
The panel is expected to begin work later this year once the General Assembly confirms the members. Its findings and recommendations will feed into global discussions on AI regulation, helping governments navigate the opportunities and dangers of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
