ai Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Digital on Day 2 of UNGA80: Calls for digital inclusion, responsible AI, and collective security

Lighting, Stage, Purple, Electronics, Screen, Computer Hardware, Hardware, Monitor, Light, Urban, Indoors, Club

Welcome to the second daily report from the General Debate at the 80th session of the UN General Debate (UNGA80). Our daily hybrid AI–human reports bring you a concise overview of how world leaders are framing the digital future.

Day 2 debates underscored a need to align rapid technological change with global governance, with countries calling for stronger international cooperation and responsible approaches to the development and use of technology. Delegations emphasised that digital technologies must serve humanity – advancing development, human rights, and democracy – while also warning of the growing security risks posed by AI misuse, disinformation, hybrid warfare, and cyber threats. Alongside some calls for rules and ethical standards, many highlighted the importance of inclusion, investment in digital infrastructure, and ensuring that all states can share in the benefits of the digital age.

To keep the highlights clear and accessible, we leave them in bullet points — capturing the key themes and voices as they emerge.

Global digital governance and cooperation

Technological disruptions are currently outpacing governance. (Kenya)
The digital age must be guided by international cooperation, ethical standards, and respect for human rights, with technology placed at the service of humanity. (Albania)
The world needs a strong and effective UN system capable of responding to the rapid evolution of new technologies. (Czechia) A renewed UN can strengthen digital security and international cooperation with ethical and inclusive principles that support freedom of expression. (Panama)
Albania is co-leading with Kenya the review process of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and will work to ensure a successful outcome. (Albania)
International Geneva can make a unique contribution to the attainment of global goals, leveraging its expertise in humanity and innovation as a centre for reflection, discussion, and concerted action. (Switzerland)

Artificial intelligence

Responsible AI (governance)

AI must serve human dignity, development, and human rights, and not the other way around. (Estonia)
AI governance is seen as one of three significant global challenges facing the international community, along with nuclear weapons and the triple planetary crisis. (Costa Rica)
Governments should act swiftly to create regulations that make AI safer and more beneficial for people. Focus should be placed on developing AI responsibly, not halting progress. (Latvia)
A responsible approach from all international institutions, the private sector, and governments is needed to steer the AI revolution. (Slovakia)
Regulations, ethical standards, and governance mechanisms are urgently needed in the AI space, to address issues of equity and access. (Guyana)
A global standard is called for to ensure the use of AI is transparent, fair, and respects ethical boundaries, without substituting for human judgment or responsibility. (Namibia)
The UN General Assembly’s decision to establish two global AI governance mechanisms – the independent international scientific panel and a global dialogue on AI governance – is welcomed. (Guyana, Costa Rica)

AI for development and growth

AI can accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda if directed towards a fair and equitable digital transformation. (Spain) It can strengthen national economies and collective efforts for development, optimising resources, accelerating medical research, and democratising access to knowledge. (Costa Rica) AI can also promote economic growth, drive scientific progress and innovation, improve healthcare, and make education more accessible. (Latvia)
AI and digitisation can accelerate the demand for energy. (Guyana)
Investment is needed in new technologies and artificial intelligence to help developing countries transition to a more prosperous future. (Congo)
AI must stand for ‘Africa included‘. (Nigeria)
An AI hub for sustainable development is being opened, involving hundreds of African startups in the development of artificial intelligence. (Italy)
A neutral sovereign artificial intelligence zone has been proposed. (Sri Lanka)
Guyana is establishing an AI hyperscale data centre which will help accelerate digitalisation and improve competitiveness. (Guyana)
Equipping citizens with the skills to use AI wisely and responsibly is essential. Estonia is implementing a new ‘Artificial Intelligence Leap’ to provide the best technological tools to students and teachers to maintain a comparative edge in education. (Estonia)

Digital tech, peace and security

Concerns were raised about the impact of drones – with or without AI – on peace and security. The proliferation of drones available to countries with limited resources or non-state actors presents a rapidly evolving security threat, having increased the lethality and changed the economics of war. (Croatia, Latvia, Ukraine)
Acts of hybrid warfare include disinformation campaigns, attempts to undermine public trust, cyberattacks, and acts of sabotage carried out by mercenaries recruited online. (Czechia) Damage to undersea cables and GPS jamming are also part of a growing wave of hybrid attacks. (Latvia)
Emerging threats such as cyberattacks, hybrid attacks, and the misuse of AI (for instance to spread disinformation or enable attacks on critical infrastructure) challenge international peace, security, and stability. Countering these requires resilience and increased cooperation. (Latvia, Costa Rica)
Technologies like AI, cyber capabilities, space technology and robotics can strengthen defences, but can also be misused by hostile actors. Security needs to be rethought, nationally and globally. Rules, safeguards, and cooperation must keep pace with innovation in technologies, to ensure that they can contribute to resilience and stability. The UN must evolve to be able to effectively address such complex challenges. (Croatia, Cyprus)
There is an urgent need for global rules on how AI can be used in weapons, comparable in urgency to preventing nuclear weapons proliferation. (Ukraine)
Military automation, enabled by AI, challenges the ability to maintain meaningful human control over life-or-death decisions without adequate regulatory frameworks. The conclusion of a legally binding instrument before 2026 is urged to establish prohibitions and regulations for autonomous weapons systems capable of identifying, selecting, and attacking targets without meaningful human control, stressing that no algorithm should make life or death decisions. (Costa Rica)
The arms race is resuming, including in cyberspace. (Senegal) Cybercrime and cyber terrorism are emerging challenges. (Guyana)

Human rights in the digital space

Safeguarding digital rights and advancing media freedom are critical for advancing democracy and protecting international law-based multilateral world order. (Estonia)
It is proposed to establish a global charter for digital governance and ethical AI to protect human rights in the digital sphere. (Central African Republic)

Disinformation and misinformation

Concern was expressed about an emerging generation that grows cynical because it believes nothing and trusts less, due to the rapid advancement of technology. (Nigeria)
The ‘pandemic’ of misinformation and disinformation is an emerging challenge. (Guyana)
The proliferation of misinformation, particularly via digital platforms, has fuelled distrust between countries, targeting elections, trade negotiations, and public sentiment. (Serbia)
Disinformation, which gains even greater volume in digital environments, is eroding public trust and is part of the challenges testing the principles of the UN Charter and the UN’s authority. (Dominican Republic; Sierra Leone)
Autocracies are deploying new technology to undermine trust in democracy, institutions, and each other. (Australia)

Digital technologies for development

Digital inclusion and access

Ensuring that every person and country benefits from the opportunities of the
digital age is a global challenge. The international community must work together to close the digital gap between states that can and cannot benefit from digital tech and AI as development tools. (Sri Lanka)
There is a need for a new dialogue to promote a level of access to technology that allows emerging economies to more quickly close the wealth and knowledge gap. (Nigeria)
The digital divide must be closed. (Costa Rica, Nigeria) Advancing digital inclusion and the digital transition is essential for states to meet development goals. (Comoros, Kiribati)
A dedicated initiative is advocated for, bringing together researchers, the private sector, government, and communities to close the digital divide. (Nigeria)
Investments are made in digital transformation and the digital economy to foster inclusion and innovation, and ensure no one is left behind. (Albania, Sierra Leone)

Digital public infrastructure and services

Digital solutions are vital for overcoming challenges from geographical isolation and limited economies of scale, and are key to enhancing public services, education, commerce, and climate resilience. (Kiribati)
The GovStack initiative, co-founded by Estonia in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union and Germany, provides governments with a
digital public infrastructure toolbox aimed at modernising digital services by creating a modular, open-source, and scalable framework. (Estonia)
Digitalisation is a part of the commitment to sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda goals. (Serbia)
Digital democracy is a national aim. (Sri Lanka)

Technology transfers, trade, and critical minerals

Many countries need technology transfers and capacity building (Guatemala), and developed countries must honour their commitments in these areas. (Sierra Leone) Solidarity, translated into technology transfers and other measures, is needed. (Dominican Republic)
The world urgently needs supply chains that are more reliable, diversified, and resilient. (Paraguay)
Allowing critical infrastructure to depend on authoritarian regimes is gambling with both the economy and democracy. (Paraguay)
Africa has an abundance of critical minerals that will drive the technologies of the future. Investments in the exploration, development, and processing of these minerals in Africa will diversify supply to the international market and help shape the architecture for peace and prosperity. Countries that host minerals must benefit from them through investment, partnership, local processing, and jobs. (Nigeria)

For other topics discussed, head over to our dedicated UNGA80 page, where you can explore more insight from the General Debate.

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80)

The General Debate at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly brings together high-level representatives from across the globe to discuss the most pressing issues of our time. The session took place against the backdrop of the UN’s 80th anniversary, serving as a moment for both reflection and a forward-looking assessment of the organisation’s role and relevance.

Anthropic models join Microsoft Copilot Studio for enhanced AI flexibility

Microsoft has added Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1 to Copilot Studio, giving users more control over model selection for orchestration, workflow automation, and reasoning tasks.

The integration allows customers to design and optimise AI agents with either Anthropic or OpenAI models, or even coordinate across both. Administrators can manage access through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, with automatic fallback to OpenAI GPT-4o if Anthropic models are disabled.

Anthropic’s models are available in early release environments now, with preview access across all environments expected within two weeks and full production readiness by the end of the year.

Microsoft said the move empowers businesses to tailor AI agents more precisely to industry-specific needs, from HR onboarding to compliance management.

By enabling multi-model orchestration, Copilot Studio extends its versatility for enterprises seeking to match the right AI model to each task, underlining Microsoft’s push to position Copilot as a flexible platform for agentic AI.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

DeepSeek reveals secrets of low-cost AI model

Chinese start-up DeepSeek has published the first peer-reviewed study of its R1 model, revealing how it built the powerful AI system for under US$300,000.

The model stunned markets on its release in January and has since become Hugging Face’s most downloaded open-weight system. Unlike rivals, R1 was not trained on other models’ output but instead developed reasoning abilities through reinforcement learning.

DeepSeek’s engineers rewarded the model for correct answers, enabling it to form problem-solving strategies. Efficiency gains came from allowing R1 to score its own outputs rather than relying on a separate algorithm.

The Nature paper marks the first time a major large language model has undergone peer review. Reviewers said the process increased transparency and should be adopted by other firms as scrutiny of AI risks intensifies.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UN General Assembly highlights threats of unregulated technology

World leaders opened the 80th UN General Debate with a strong call to keep technology in the service of humanity, warning that without safeguards, rapid advances could widen divides and fuel insecurity. Speakers highlighted the promise of AI, digital innovation, and new technologies, but stressed that global cooperation is essential to ensure they promote development, dignity, and peace.

A recurring theme was the urgent need for universal guardrails on AI, with concerns over regulation lagging behind its fast-paced growth. Delegates from across regions supported multilateral governance, ethical standards, and closing global capacity gaps so that all countries can design, use, and benefit from AI.

While some warned of risks such as inequality, social manipulation, and autonomous weapons, others emphasised AI’s potential for prosperity, innovation, and inclusive growth.

Cybersecurity and cybercrime also drew attention, with calls for collective security measures and anticipation of a new UN convention against cybercrime. Leaders further raised alarms over disinformation, digital authoritarianism, and the race for critical minerals, urging fair access and sustainability.

Across the debate, the unifying message was clear. The technology must uplift humanity, protect rights, and serve as a force for peace rather than domination.

For more information from the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, visit our dedicated page.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Digital on Day 1 of UNGA80

Welcome to the first daily report from the General Debate at the 80th session of the UN General Debate (UNGA80). Our daily hybrid AI–human reports bring you a concise overview of how world leaders are framing the digital future.

Day 1 debates circled around a central message: technology must remain a servant of humanity, not its master. From calls to ensure AI benefits all societies and to build universal guardrails for its responsible use, to concerns over cybercrime, disinformation, and the governance of critical minerals, delegations stressed the urgent need for cooperation, inclusivity, and safeguards.

While opportunities for innovation, development, and peace were highlighted, speakers warned that without global frameworks, the same technologies could deepen divides, fuel insecurity, and erode human dignity.

To keep the highlights clear and accessible, we leave them in bullet points — capturing the key themes and voices as they emerge.

Tech for humanity and common good & global cooperation

Technology must be put at the service of humanity. It must be our servant, not our master. (UN Secretary-General)
The use of technology and global connectivity is too often twisted by cynical leaders and warmongering regimes, but can be harnessed for the common good. (Slovenia)
A vision of AI for all is needed to ensure that tech advancements contribute to the universal values of humanity. (Republic of Korea)
Africa must play an active role in defining international roles and standards and ensuring that technology is at the service of humanity. (Mozambique)
The international community must ensure that technology lifts up humanity and no country is locked out of the digital future. (UN Secretary-General)
Peak technology is picking up pace, opening horizons of opportunity but paving the way for dangerous forces because they are not regulated. New risks are posed by AI, cyber, space and quantum technologies, and while common frameworks exist, they have been weakened or outpaced. Existing rules and institutions need to be consolidated, and frameworks for peace need to be built. (France)

Artificial intelligence

AI inclusion and capacity building

AI capacity gaps must be closed. All countries and societies must be able to use, design and develop AI, and benefit from the opportunities the technology offers. (Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, UN Secretary-General) )
AI technologies should be used for the benefit of humanity, not as a new tool of domination. The UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries could play a critical role in closing the digital and technological gap. (Türkiye)
A new international cooperation mechanism is proposed to facilitate the exchange of practical solutions and models of AI in healthcare, education, and culture. (Uzbekistan)
Not taking advantage of AI means wasting economic opportunities. Countries need to adapt to the challenges imposed by the need to use AI responsibly. (Morocco)

Responsible AI (governance)

The advancement of AI is outpacing regulation and responsibility, with its control concentrated in a few hands. (UN Secretary-General) There is a need for universal guardrails, common standards, and ethical norms to ensure transparency, safety, accountability, fairness, and the protection of individual rights in its deployment. The UN’s recent steps to establish an international scientific panel and an annual global dialogue on AI governance are supported. (UN Secretary-General, Kazakhstan)
Commitment was expressed to building multilateral governance to mitigate the risks of AI, in line with the Global Digital Compact. (Brazil)
AI could lead to a dystopia of deepening polarisation, inequality, and human rights abuses if not proactively managed. It can also be a driving force for innovation, prosperity, and direct democracy. (Republic of Korea)
Artificial intelligence poses new challenges to human dignity, justice, and labor, with risks of exclusion, social manipulation, and militarization through autonomous weapons. Addressing them requires understanding how AI works and having robust safeguards in place. (Mozambique)

Cybersecurity and cybercrime

Digital technologies come with new security threats, in particular cybercrime. Cybersecurity must be an important component of collective security. (Tajikistan)
Viet Nam looks forward to the signing ceremony of the UN Convention Against Cybercrime. (Viet Nam)

Digital technology, peace and security

There are risks associated with new technologies, from biotech to autonomous weapons. There is also a rise of tools for mass surveillance and control, which can intensify the race for critical minerals and potentially spark instability. (UN Secretary-General)
The US will pioneer an AI verification system to enforce the biological weapons convention. (United States)
Digital, space and AI technologies should be used as forces for peace, not tools for domination. (Portugal)
The use of ICTs to harm peace, security and sustainable development needs to be prevented. (Turkmenistan)

Human rights in the digital space

Technology must serve humanity and be a force for good. It must promote human rights, human dignity, and human agency. (UN Secretary-General)
Regulating digital platforms does not mean restraining freedom of expression, but ensuring that what is illegal offline is also illegal online. (Brazil)

Disinformation and misinformation

Digital platforms offer possibilities for people to come together, but they have also been used for sowing intolerance, misogyny, xenophobia, and misinformation, necessitating government regulation to protect the vulnerable. (Brazil)
The rise of tools for mass disruption and mass social control is a concern. ( UN Secretary-General)
There’s a growing challenge of disinformation being used to undermine democratic institutions and destabilize societies. The international community needs to defend truth as a supreme value. (Lithuania)

Digital inclusion and tech for development

To bridge the digital and technological divides is central to building resilient societies. (Portugal)
It is important to prevent inequalities in digital development and the use of artificial intelligence between countries. (Uzbekistan)
Digital transformation must be balanced, reflect the realities and legitimate interests of all states, and be free from politicization and bias. A proposal will be made to establish a world platform on digital integration. (Turkmenistan)
There is a need for a technological and a climate diplomacy that can regulate risks and democratise benefits through genuine transfer and sharing of technology and knowledge, so that technology is a factor of inclusive development. (Mozambique)
Sustainable development models need to be based on digital and green transition. For this, countries must invest in R&D, train human resources, develop green infrastructure, and formulate national plans, while developed countries must take responsibility in sharing and transferring technology to developing and underdeveloped countries. (Viet Nam)
Nations which benefited the most from industrial and economic development in the past should support developing countries through measures such as technology transfers and adequate financing. (Angola)

Critical minerals

Robust regulations need to balance responsible mineral extraction with effective environmental protection. (Nauru)
Rich countries are demanding greater access to resources and technology. The race for critical minerals cannot repeat the predatory and asymmetrical logic of past centuries. (Brazil)
Critical minerals need to be harnessed for inclusive growth and sustainable development, including within the communities where these minerals are extracted from. (South Africa)
The governance of strategic minerals needs to ensure that exploitation compiles with the principles of sustainable development, economic sovereignty and people’s well-being. (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

For other topics discussed, head over to our dedicated UNGA80 page, where you can explore more insight from the General Debate.

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80)

Meta offers Llama AI to US allies amid global tech race

Meta will provide its Llama AI model to key European institutions, NATO, and several allied countries as part of efforts to strengthen national security capabilities.

The company confirmed that France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the EU will gain access to the open-source model. US defence and security agencies and partners in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK already use Llama.

Meta stated that the aim is to ensure democratic allies have the most advanced AI tools for decision-making, mission planning, and operational efficiency.

Although its terms bar use for direct military or espionage applications, the company emphasised that supporting allied defence strategies is in the interest of nations.

The move highlights the strategic importance of AI models in global security. Meta has positioned Llama as a counterweight to other countries’ developments, after allegations that researchers adapted earlier versions of the model for military purposes.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Alibaba unveils next-gen AI models and $53 billion infrastructure expansion

Just as Nvidia announced plans to spend $100 billion building out OpenAI’s infrastructure, Alibaba is doubling its ambitions, rolling out a powerful suite of AI models and expanding its data centres to support them.

At its annual Apsara Conference in Beijing, Alibaba unveiled Qwen3-Omni, a multimodal model capable of analysing text, images, audio, and video in real time. Released under an open Apache 2.0 license, businesses can freely download and deploy the system, setting it apart from closed, pay-to-use rivals like Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro and OpenAI’s GPT-4o.

The company also introduced Qwen3-Max, its most advanced large language model yet, boasting over a trillion parameters. Alibaba executives say it shows particular strength in code generation and autonomous decision-making, enabling AI systems to act more independently than traditional chatbots. Benchmark tests indicate it outperforms models from Anthropic and DeepSeek in some areas.

What makes Qwen3-Omni unique is its architecture. Instead of adding vision or speech to a text-first system, it integrates all modalities from the ground up. The model is available in three versions, Instruct, Thinking, and Captioner, and can generate text and audio with low latency, outperforming rivals on reasoning, transcription, and video analysis.

Practical applications range from customer support tools that can analyse live video feeds of malfunctioning appliances to interactive assistants for virtual reality environments. Developers can fine-tune personality and style, from consumer services to enterprise transcription, adapting the system for industries.

Supporting these breakthroughs is a sweeping expansion of Alibaba’s infrastructure footprint. The firm plans to open its first data centres in Brazil, France, and the Netherlands, adding facilities in Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Dubai. All this comes from an earlier pledge to invest $53 billion over three years into AI-related infrastructure.

By coupling record-setting AI models with a global data centre buildout, Alibaba is signalling it intends to compete head-to-head with US leaders. With open licensing, massive infrastructure spending, and technical performance that matches or surpasses its Western rivals, China’s e-commerce titan is making a bold play to reshape the global AI landscape.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Gemini brings conversational AI to Google TV

Google has launched Gemini for TV, bringing conversational AI to the living room. The update builds on Google TV and Google Assistant, letting viewers chat naturally with their screens to discover shows, plan trips, or even tackle homework questions.

Instead of scrolling endlessly, users can ask Gemini to find a film everyone will enjoy or recap last season’s drama. The AI can handle vague requests, like finding ‘that new hospital drama,’ and provide reviews before you press play.

Gemini also turns the TV into an interactive learning tool. From explaining why volcanoes erupt to guiding kids through projects, it offers helpful answers with supporting YouTube videos for hands-on exploration.

Beyond schoolwork, Gemini can help plan meals, teach new skills like guitar, or brainstorm family trips, all through conversational prompts. Such features make the TV a hub for entertainment, education, and inspiration.

Gemini is now available on the TCL QM9K series, with rollout to additional Google TV devices planned for later this year. Google says additional features are coming soon, making TVs more capable and personalised.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UN climate chief calls for action on AI, energy and finance ahead of COP30

At Climate Week NYC 2025, UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell urged governments and industries to accelerate clean energy, embrace industrial and AI transformation, and prepare for decisive progress at COP30 in Belém.

He highlighted that renewable investment reached US$2 trillion last year and that most new renewable projects are cheaper than fossil fuels, showing that the transition is already underway instead of being dependent on breakthroughs.

Stiell warned, however, that the benefits remain uneven and too many industrial projects lie idle. He called on governments to align policy and finance with the Paris Agreement sector by sector while unlocking innovation to create millions of jobs.

On AI, he stressed the importance of harnessing its catalytic potential responsibly, using it to manage energy grids, map climate risks and guide planning, rather than allowing it to displace human skills.

Looking ahead, the UN Climate Chief pointed to the Baku to Belém Roadmap, a plan to mobilise at least US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support climate action in developing countries. He said COP30 must respond to this roadmap, accelerate progress on national climate commitments and deliver for vulnerable communities.

Above all, he argued that climate cooperation is bending the warming curve and must continue to drive real-world improvements in jobs, health and energy access instead of faltering.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Global call grows for limits on risky AI uses

Over 200 scientists, political leaders and cultural figures have signed a global appeal to set boundaries on AI use. The Global Call for AI Red Lines initiative aims to establish an international agreement on applications that should never be pursued.

Signatories include Nobel laureates, former heads of state, and leading AI researchers such as Geoffrey Hinton, Ian Goodfellow and Yoshua Bengio. OpenAI co-founder Wojciech Zaremba, authors Yuval Noah Harari and Stephen Fry.

Supporters argue that unchecked AI development risks destabilising societies and violating human rights. Consensus is urgently needed to prohibit applications threatening democracy, security, or public safety.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!