Simon Institute for Longterm Governance

The Simon Institute for Longterm Governance (SI) is a think tank based in Geneva, Switzerland, working to foster international cooperation on governing transformative technologies.

SI’s current work is focused on frontier AI diplomacy. They conduct research on international AI governance, facilitate exchange between technical and policy communities, and educate diplomats and civil servants about frontier AI’s opportunities, risks, and governance solutions.

SI was originally founded in 2021 to strengthen the multilateral system’s capacity to mitigate global catastrophic risks. In its early years, SI contributed to key intergovernmental processes for reducing global risks, delivered the first UN report on existential risk and rapid technological change, and co-authored a report with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Hazards with Escalation Potential. In 2023, SI narrowed its focus to AI governance, recognising AI as one of the most consequential technologies of our time. SI has since supported actors working on the UN’s Global Digital Compact, the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance while hosting capacity-building workshops on AI-related subjects across New York and Geneva.

Digital activities

SI believes in the potential of human ingenuity and technology to create a future where life can thrive. They are optimistic about the ability of emerging technologies like AI to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, address the climate crisis, and boost global development. At the same time, SI is concerned about the risks posed by these technologies, with AI, for instance, already posing challenges like misinformation and bias, and already raising future concerns, including rogue AI systems and a potential loss of human control.

SI aims to help policymakers keep up with the rapid pace of technological change by translating and summarising the latest science on emerging technological risks and opportunities into concrete policy advice. In tandem, SI works with policymakers to influence the creation and evolution of governance structures, improve risk management, and foster input from essential stakeholders, to enhance global technology governance to be more responsive, agile, and inclusive.

Digital policy issues

Artificial intelligence

Through their work, SI aims to draw attention to the various opportunities and risks associated with AI, particularly frontier AI systems. SI translates complex technical AI issues into legible language, conducts capacity-building sessions with diplomats, fosters exchange between multilateral actors, the private sector, and civil society, and actively participates in multilateral policy processes concerning AI governance. 

Capacity building

SI has conducted numerous capacity-building sessions on AI, including a three-part AI Governance Briefing Series for Permanent Missions to the UN in Geneva, training courses on AI governance for UN Missions in New York in both English and French, live demonstrations of AI capabilities, briefings on specific topics like compute governance and benefit-sharing, institutional negotiation support workshops for the International Scientific Panel and the Global Dialogue on AI, and much more. The organisation also provides tailored talks, training courses, and briefings to interested diplomats and multilateral governance actors on an ad hoc basis.

Policy recommendation

SI actively engages in multilateral policy processes relevant to AI governance. For instance, during the 2022-2023 review period of the Sendai Framework, SI raised awareness about the risks presented by advanced AI systems, speaking at events like the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction and the high-level meeting during the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework, as well as delivering a thematic study on risks posed by emerging technologies, including AI. Throughout 2024, SI closely followed the GDC negotiations—responding to various iterations of the text—and throughout 2025 so far, has been providing recommendations for the design of the Independent International Scientific Panel and the Global Dialogue on AI. Privately, SI also provides individual support to policy actors, tailored to the specific context and subject area in which they operate. 

Research

With strong ties across academia, private labs, and technical research communities, the SI team has a firm grasp of the latest developments in frontier AI. SI’s focus lies in effectively translating these developments into language and advice suitable for policy actors. To date, SI has delivered the first UN report on Existential Risk and Rapid Technological Change, explaining key risks associated with AI systems and potential governance mechanisms, and developed a report on Hazards with Escalation Potential, outlining how AI may soon become a primary driving force behind various hazards. More recently, SI has been conducting in-depth research on institutional design for AI, including a report outlining structural considerations for the Independent International Scientific Panel and the Global Dialogue on AI. 

Emerging technologies 

In today’s interconnected world, the majority of emerging technologies have significant digital elements (e.g. AI, biotechnology, quantum computing). They are also characterised by uncertain development trajectories and unrealised real-world applications. Much of SI’s work is based on the premise that governing such technologies requires long-term thinking, adaptability, and foresight. SI advocates for the effective governance of emerging technologies by translating the latest technical developments into concrete policy advice, providing recommendations on policy design, and offering frameworks to support the adaptable governance of emerging technologies (e.g. SI’s Future-Proofing Framework). 

Additionally, SI hosts workshops at the intersection of foresight, technology governance, and multilateralism. In September 2023, SI collaborated with the UN Futures Lab Network to organise a Foresight Workshop on Frontier Technologies, encouraging actors to reflect on the potential development trajectories of various technologies. In January 2023, SI convened a workshop titled Future-proofing the Multilateral System, inviting actors from academia, civil society, and the multilateral system to discuss ways to integrate forecasting techniques into the SDG process, manage risks associated with technologies like biotechnology and AI, and find ways to use technical standardisation to harmonise global technology governance efforts.

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