UN holds AI and Human Development summit in Mexico; Foreign Minister addresses regulatory challenges

Mexico City is hosting the second UN summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Development, bringing together global leaders to explore how this transformative technology is reshaping human progress. The two-day event, co-organized by the UN Office for Partnerships and the Mexican government, follows an initial summit in Cairo and is led by UN Under-Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed.

“

to analyze how one of the most transformative technologies of humanity is redefining human progress.

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco underscored the critical importance of establishing regulatory frameworks for AI, governing its use, and mitigating its inherent risks. He stated that Mexico fully supports the UN's initiative, viewing it as aligned with the nation's core principles. "From the perspective of Mexican humanism, the response is ethical," Velasco declared, emphasizing the country's readiness to engage in multilateral diplomacy to tackle the complex challenges posed by AI.

“

The regulatory challenge ahead of us is pressing, and Mexico is ready to face it from our multilateral diplomacy.

Velasco referenced Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," published earlier this year, to illustrate the profound ethical questions surrounding AI. He cautioned against entrusting algorithms with decisions about human worth without clear accountability, warning that such delegation could redefine the boundaries of human potential. The discussion also delved into how AI is altering the human experience and what aspects of humanity should be preserved amidst rapid technological advancement.

“

Entrusting an algorithm with the power to select who is worthy and who is not, without anyone assuming the weight of the decision, means entrusting it with the task of redefining the limits of human possibilities.

This summit occurs as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced that formal discussions have begun regarding the use of social media and AI among children, adolescents, and youth in Mexico. Sheinbaum Pardo indicated that these forums aim to develop proposals for guidance and regulation, with the ultimate goal of protecting young people from potential addiction and negative impacts, a proposal that will eventually be presented to Congress.

“

protect children from what can become an addiction.