South Korea is seeking international support for a proposed global AI hub to advance cooperation on technology and governance. The initiative was discussed during talks with Switzerland’s leadership.
Officials in Switzerland met with South Korea’s prime minister to strengthen bilateral ties and support the project. The programme is intended to promote collaboration on AI rules, education and innovation.
The government of South Korea has also engaged several UN agencies to support the initiative. Agreements outline cooperation to help establish the hub and expand global dialogue on AI development.
Leaders in South Korea say the country aims to contribute its strong information technology capabilities to the project. The initiative reflects broader efforts to position the nation as a key player in global AI policy and innovation.
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Online scam networks operating across Southeast Asia are defrauding victims worldwide, using AI, impersonation techniques, and complex cyber tools to steal billions of dollars.
At the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and INTERPOL brought together governments, law enforcement, and private-sector actors to strengthen international cooperation against these crimes.
Victims include individuals from diverse backgrounds, often highly educated and financially experienced. One Australian couple, Kim and Allan Sawyer, lost more than $2.5 million after engaging with what appeared to be a legitimate investment opportunity. ‘The scammer was extraordinarily believable,’ Kim Sawyer said. ‘He had a British accent, used all the right financial market terms and knew how to induce us by appearing credible every time.’
UNODC officials warn that these operations extend beyond fraud, forming part of a broader criminal ecosystem driven by organised scam networks, involving human trafficking, corruption, and money laundering.
‘We need to be looking into prosecuting high-level criminals, following the money through financial investigations and identifying the giant networks that operate behind these operations,’ said Delphine Schantz, UNODC’s regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Authorities say the scale and complexity of these crimes require a coordinated global response to dismantle scam networks effectively. ‘The complexity of these crimes requires an equally complex, whole-of-government approach and enhanced coordination among governments, financial intelligence units and digital banks,’ Schantz added.
Investigations in countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia have revealed how scam networks operate on the ground. In Manila, a former scam compound uncovered facilities used to control trafficked workers and evidence of corruption linked to local officials. ‘How do you prove a cybercrime in 36 hours? It is not possible,’ said the Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) operations director, recalling the challenges investigators faced during early raids.
In Cambodia, international prosecutors and investigators have focused on improving cooperation mechanisms, including extradition, asset recovery, and the handling of digital evidence. These efforts are seen as critical in addressing the cross-border nature of scam networks.
Despite increased enforcement efforts, these networks continue to adapt and relocate, maintaining a global reach. At recent international meetings, including a summit in Bangkok involving nearly 60 countries and major technology firms, officials agreed on the need for shared intelligence, joint investigations and coordinated prosecutions.
Victims continue to call for stronger responses. ‘The scammer works twice: they take your money, and they take your soul. They really do. They take your self-worth. And then, you feel like you’re being scammed again, by the authorities’ lack of response,’ Sawyer said.
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Senior United Nations leaders, including Antonio Guterres, will take part in the AI Impact Summit 2026, set to be held in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February. The event will be the first global AI summit of this scale to be convened in the Global South.
The Summit is organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and will bring together governments, international organisations, industry, academia, and civil society. Talks will focus on responsible AI development aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
More than 30 United Nations-led side events will accompany the Summit, spanning food security, health, gender equality, digital infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, and children’s safety. Guterres said shared understandings are needed to build guardrails and unlock the potential of AI for the common good.
Other participants include Volker Turk, Amandeep Singh Gill, Kristalina Georgieva, and leaders from the International Labour Organization, International Telecommunication Union, and other UN bodies. Senior representatives from UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Women, FAO, and WIPO are also expected to attend.
The Summit follows the United Nations General Assembly’s appointment of 40 members to a new international scientific panel on AI. The body will publish annual evidence-based assessments to support global AI governance, including input from IIT Madras expert Balaraman Ravindran.
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Organised by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism in partnership with the Republic of Korea’s UN mission, the dialogue will take place at UN Headquarters in New York. Discussions will bring together policymakers, technology experts, civil society representatives, and youth stakeholders.
A central milestone will be the launch of the first UN Practice Guide on Artificial Intelligence and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism. The guide offers human rights-based advice on responsible AI use, addressing ethical, governance, and operational risks.
Officials warn that AI-generated content, deepfakes, and algorithmic amplification are accelerating extremist narratives online. Responsibly governed AI tools could enhance early detection, research, and community prevention efforts.
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The UN 2.0 Data & Digital Community AI Expo examined how AI is currently embedded within the operational, analytical and institutional work of the United Nations system. The session brought together a range of AI applications already in use across UN entities, offering a consolidated view of how data-driven tools are supporting mandates related to development, humanitarian action, human rights and internal organisational capacity.
Designed as a fast‑paced showcase, the event presented eight specific AI projects from various UN organisations within a one-hour window. These featured programmes were selected by the UN AI Resource Hub, which is a significant collaborative initiative involving over 50 UN entities. The hub serves to strengthen coordination and coherence regarding AI technologies across the entire UN system.
The Expo highlighted how AI interacts with data availability, governance frameworks, and legal obligations. The session therefore functioned as an overview of current practice, revealing both the scope of AI use and the constraints shaping its deployment within a multilateral institution.
UN 2.0, data and digital capacity
UN 2.0 frames data and digital capability as core institutional functions necessary for addressing complex global challenges. Increasing volumes of information, rapidly evolving risks and interconnected crises require tools that support analysis, coordination and timely decision-making.
Within this framework, AI is treated as one component of a broader digital ecosystem. Its effectiveness depends on data quality, governance structures, organisational readiness and ethical oversight. The AI Expo reflected this approach by consistently situating the use of AI within existing mandates and institutional responsibilities, rather than presenting technology as a standalone solution.
UNICEF: Guidance on AI and children
UNICEF addressed how AI systems affect children across education, health, protection, and social services. The guidance focuses on governance frameworks that protect children’s rights in digital environments where automated systems increasingly shape access and outcomes.
Key risks highlighted include profiling, algorithmic bias, data misuse, and exclusion from digital benefits. Safeguards such as transparency, accountability, accessibility, and human oversight are emphasised as essential conditions for any AI system involving children.
The guidance, now in its third edition from December 2025, draws on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and sets out 10 requirements for child-centred AI, including safety, data privacy, non-discrimination, transparency, inclusion, and support for children’s well-being and development.
By anchoring AI governance within established child rights frameworks, the guidance positions technological development as subject to existing international obligations rather than discretionary policy choices. It highlights both the risks of AI, such as harmful content, CSAM, and algorithmic bias, and the opportunities, including enhanced learning, accessibility for children with disabilities, and improved child well-being.
UN-Habitat: BEAM AI (Building & Establishment Automated Mapper)
UN-Habitat presented BEAM, a machine-learning system designed to analyse satellite and aerial imagery to identify buildings and settlement patterns. Rapid urbanisation and the growth of informal settlements often outpace traditional data collection methods, leaving governments without accurate information for planning and service delivery.
AI-supported mapping addresses these gaps by generating up-to-date spatial data at scale. Outputs support decisions related to housing, water, sanitation, infrastructure investment, and risk reduction. It identifies and geo-references rooftops, generating shapefiles for urban planning processes.
Applied in South Africa and Central America, the system has mapped millions of previously unrecorded buildings, providing comprehensive spatial data where none existed before and supporting evidence-based decision-making in rapidly evolving urban areas.
UNFPA: AI platform for adolescents and youth
UNFPA focused on AI-supported platforms designed to improve access to information for adolescents and youth, particularly in areas related to sexual and reproductive health and mental well-being. Many young people face barriers linked to stigma, lack of confidentiality and uneven access to services.
UNFPA India’s JustAsk! AI chatbot provide guidance that is age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and aligned with ethical and rights-based standards. The system helps users navigate health information, counter misinformation, and connect with relevant services when needed, including mental health support and sexual health facilities.
The design of these platforms emphasises privacy, safety, and responsible AI use, ensuring that interactions remain trustworthy and secure for young people. By leveraging AI, UNFPA supports youth-facing services, reaching populations that may otherwise have limited access to accurate and confidential information, particularly in regions where traditional in-person services are scarce or difficult to access.
IOM: Donor intelligence
IOM showcased an emerging AI project designed to strengthen donor intelligence and improve funding strategies. Following significant funding cuts and increasing competition for resources, the organisation explored new ways to diversify funding, identify opportunities and better align proposals after years of consistent rejections.
To ensure the solution addressed real operational needs, the team organised discovery workshops to identify pain points and opportunities for technological support. Using a rapid‑iteration approach known as ‘vibe coding’, developers built and tested prototypes quickly, incorporating continuous user feedback and daily improvements.
A multi-agent AI system integrates internal and external data to generate comprehensive, up-to-date donor profiles. Specialised agents research, synthesise, and refine information, enabling the organisation to monitor donor priorities and shifts in real-time.
Better alignment of project designs with donor interests has successfully reversed the trend of frequent rejections. Securing new funding has allowed the organisation to resume previously suspended activities and restore essential support to migrant and displaced communities.
UNDP: AI Sprint
UNDP launched the AI Sprint as a strategic initiative to accelerate the adoption of AI across the organisation and to build internal capacity for the responsible and effective use of AI. The AI Sprint is designed to equip UNDP staff with the tools, knowledge and governance frameworks needed to harness AI in support of sustainable development and organisational transformation.
The AI Sprint is structured around multiple components, including building foundational AI awareness and skills, establishing ethical principles and frameworks for AI use, and supporting the deployment of high-impact AI initiatives that address key development challenges. It also contributes to country-level enablement by helping partner countries develop AI strategies, strengthen public sector AI capacity and scale AI-related programmes.
The initiative reflects UNDP’s effort to position the organisation as a leader in responsible AI for development, with the dedicated AI Working Group established to oversee responsible use, legal compliance, risk management and transparency in AI adoption.
The UNDP AI Sprint Initiative forms part of broader efforts to build AI capability and accelerate digital transformation across regions, offering training, strategy support and practical tools in countries worldwide.
Described as a dedicated data service, HRDx aims to consolidate data that is currently fragmented, siloed, unverified and often collected manually into a single, more reliable resource. This will allow for earlier detection and monitoring of patterns, thereby supporting human rights initiatives in the digital era.
Given that human rights are currently at a crossroads and increasingly at risk, with only 15% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track for 2030, the design prioritises data protection, security and accountability. This approach reflects the sensitive nature of such information, particularly as technology can also accelerate inequality, disinformation and digital surveillance.
HRDx forms part of a broader OHCHR strategy to utilise technology and data to identify trends rapidly and facilitate coordinated action. The initiative seeks to establish human rights data as a global public good, ensuring that ethical data governance and the protection of personal data remain fundamental requirements for its operation.
UN Global Pulse: DISHA (Data Insights for Social & Humanitarian Action)
UN Global Pulse has established a collaborative coalition known as DISHA, or Data Insights for Social and Humanitarian Action, to bridge the gap between experimental technology and its practical application.
This partnership focuses on refining and deploying AI-enabled analytics to support critical humanitarian decision-making, ensuring that the most effective tools transition from mere pilots to routine operational use. By fostering cross-sector partnerships and securing authorised access to dynamic data, the project aims to equip humanitarian organisations with the high-level insights necessary to respond to crises with greater speed and precision.
The practical utility of this effort is demonstrated through several key analytical applications designed to address immediate needs on the ground. One such tool significantly accelerates disaster damage assessment, reducing the time required for analysis from weeks or days to just a few hours. In the Philippines, the initiative uses an evergreen data partnership with Globe Telecom to monitor population mobility and dynamically track displacement trends following a disaster.
Furthermore, a shelter-mapping pilot project uses satellite imagery to automatically identify refugee shelters at scale, providing a clearer picture of humanitarian requirements in real time.
A central focus of the DISHA initiative is to overcome the persistent barriers that prevent the humanitarian sector from adopting these advanced solutions. By addressing these governance considerations and focusing on the productisation of AI approaches, the initiative ensures that analytical outputs are not only technically sound but also directly aligned with the live operational requirements of responders during a crisis.
WIPO: Breaking language barriers with AI
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has implemented an AI system to automate the transcription and translation of international meetings. Developed by the Advanced Technology Applications Center (ATAC), the WIPO Speech-to-Text tool produces automated transcripts in minutes. These custom models are specifically trained on UN terminology and are designed to function despite background noise or non-native language accents.
The system captures spoken language directly from interpretation channels and publishes the results to the WIPO webcast platform, providing searchable access with timestamps for every word. When used alongside the WIPO Translate engine, the tool can generate machine translations in multiple additional languages.
Since its adoption for most public WIPO meetings in 2022, the initiative has delivered savings of several million Swiss francs. The infrastructure supports highly confidential content and allows for installation within an organisation’s secure framework. WIPO is currently sharing this technology with other organisations and developing a software-as-a-service (SaaS) API to expand its availability.
Across the UN system, initiatives demonstrate a shift toward a more capable, data‑driven, and ethically grounded approach to global operations, highlighting the use of technological tools to strengthen human rights, accountability and multilateral cooperation.
When applied responsibly, AI enhances human expertise, enabling more precise monitoring, planning and decision-making across development, humanitarian action, human rights and internal organisational functions. Ethical safeguards, governance frameworks and oversight mechanisms are embedded from the outset to ensure that innovations operate within established norms.
Overall, these developments reflect a broader institutional transformation, with the UN increasingly equipped to manage complexity, respond to crises with precision, and uphold its mandates with agility in the digital era.
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BRICS countries are working to harmonise their approaches to AI, though it remains too early to speak of a unified AI framework for the bloc, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.
Speaking as Russia’s BRICS sherpa, Ryabkov said discussions are focused on aligning national positions and shared principles rather than establishing binding standards, noting that no common BRICS AI rules have yet taken shape.
He highlighted the adoption of a standalone leaders’ declaration on global AI governance at the Rio de Janeiro summit, describing it as a milestone for the organisation and a first for the grouping.
BRICS members, including Russia, view cooperation on AI as a way to manage emerging risks, build capacity and help narrow the digital divide, particularly for developing countries.
Ryabkov added that the group supports a central coordinating role for the United Nations, with AI governance anchored in national legislation, respect for sovereignty, data protection and human rights.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged world leaders to act swiftly to ensure AI serves humanity rather than threatens it. Speaking at a UN Security Council debate, he warned that while AI can help anticipate food crises, support de-mining efforts, and prevent violence, it is equally capable of fueling conflict through cyberattacks, disinformation, and autonomous weapons.
‘Humanity’s fate cannot be left to an algorithm,’ he stressed.
Guterres outlined four urgent priorities. First, he called for strict human oversight in all military uses of AI, repeating his demand for a global ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems. He insisted that life-and-death decisions, including any involving nuclear weapons, must never be left to machines.
Second, he pressed for coherent international regulations to ensure AI complies with international law at every stage, from design to deployment. He highlighted the dangers of AI lowering barriers to acquiring prohibited weapons and urged states to build transparency, trust, and safeguards against misuse.
Finally, Guterres emphasised protecting information integrity and closing the global AI capacity gap. He warned that AI-driven disinformation could destabilise peace processes and elections, while unequal access risks leaving developing countries behind.
The UN has already launched initiatives, including a new international scientific panel and an annual AI governance dialogue, to foster cooperation and accountability.
‘The window is closing to shape AI, for peace, justice, and humanity,’ he concluded.
For more information from the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, visit our dedicated page.
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The UN Security Council debated AI, noting its potential to boost development but warning of risks, particularly in military use. Secretary-General António Guterres called AI a ‘double-edged sword,’ supporting development but posing threats if left unregulated.
He urged legally binding restrictions on lethal autonomous weapons and insisted nuclear decisions remain under human control.
Experts and leaders emphasised the urgent need for global regulation, equitable access, and trustworthy AI systems. Yoshua Bengio of Université de Montréal warned of risks from misaligned AI, cyberattacks, and economic concentration, calling for greater oversight.
Stanford’s Yejin Choi highlighted the concentration of AI expertise in a few countries and companies, stressing that democratising AI and reducing bias is key to ensuring global benefits.
Representatives warned that AI could deepen digital inequality in developing regions, especially Africa, due to limited access to data and infrastructure.
Delegates from Guyana, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Algeria, and Panama called for international rules to ensure transparency, fairness, and prevent dominance by a few countries or companies. Others, including the United States, cautioned that overregulation could stifle innovation and centralise power.
Delegates stressed AI’s risks in security, urging Yemen, Poland, and the Netherlands called for responsible use in conflict with human oversight and ethical accountability.Leaders from Portugal and the Netherlands said AI frameworks must promote innovation, security, and serve humanity and peace.
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As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, an unusual but timely question is being raised. In his recent blog, ‘Should the United Nations continue writing reports?’, Jovan Kurbalija argues that while some reports are vital, such as those exposing the role of tech companies in conflict zones, many have become little more than bureaucratic rituals with limited impact.
The UN Secretary-General himself has voiced concerns that the endless production of papers risks overshadowing the organisation’s true mission. The debate reveals two opposing views.
On one side, critics say reports distract from the UN’s core purpose of convening nations, negotiating compromises, and resolving crises. They point to history, such as the failed Treaty of Versailles, to warn that diplomacy loses its strength when buried under data and ‘scientific’ prescriptions.
Reports, they argue, cannot prevent wars or build trust without political will. Worse still, the drafting process is often more about avoiding offence than telling the truth, blurring the line between reporting and negotiation.
Defenders, however, insist that UN reports remain essential. They provide legitimacy, establish a shared baseline of facts, and create informal spaces for diplomacy even before formal talks begin.
During deep geopolitical divides and mistrust in institutions, independent UN analysis could be one of the few remaining tools to anchor global debates. While AI is increasingly capable of churning out facts and summaries, Kurbalija notes that human insight is still needed to read between the lines and grasp nuance.
The way forward, he suggests, is not to abandon reports altogether but to make them fewer, sharper, and more focused on action. Instead of endless PDFs, the UN should channel its energy back into mediation, dialogue, and the intricate craft of diplomacy. In a world drowning in information but starving for wisdom, reports should illuminate choices, not replace the art of negotiation.
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At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, UN leaders gathered for a pivotal dialogue on shaping an inclusive digital transformation, marking two decades since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Speakers across the UN system emphasised that technology must serve people, not vice versa.
They highlighted that bridging the digital divide is critical to ensuring that innovations like AI uplift all of humanity, not just those in advanced economies. Without equitable access, the benefits of digital transformation risk reinforcing existing inequalities and leaving millions behind.
The discussion showcased how digital technologies already transform disaster response and climate resilience. The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction illustrated how AI powers early warning systems and real-time risk analysis, saving lives in vulnerable regions.
Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN underscored the need to align technology with basic human needs, reminding the audience that ‘AI is not food,’ and calling for thoughtful, efficient deployment of digital tools to address global hunger and development.
Workforce transformation and leadership in the AI era also featured prominently. Leaders from the International Labour Organization and UNITAR stressed that while AI may replace some roles, it will augment many more, making digital literacy, ethical foresight, and collaborative governance essential skills. Examples from within the UN system itself, such as the digitisation of the Joint Staff Pension Fund through facial recognition and blockchain, demonstrated how innovation can enhance services without sacrificing inclusivity or ethics.
As the session closed, speakers collectively reaffirmed the importance of human rights, international cooperation, and shared digital governance. They stressed that the future of global development hinges on treating digital infrastructure and knowledge as public goods.
With the WSIS framework and Global Digital Compact as guideposts, UN leaders called for sustained, unified efforts to ensure that digital transformation uplifts every community and contributes meaningfully to the Sustainable Development Goals.
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