UN Warns of Losing Control Over AI, Calls for Ban on 'Killer Robots'

The United Nations is sounding the alarm over the unchecked advancement of artificial intelligence, warning that humanity is losing control of this powerful technology. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the rapid development of AI as a "giant experiment" being conducted on societies without a plan or informed consent.

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We are conducting a giant experiment on societies without any plan and without the informed consent of citizens.

During a historic summit in Geneva, Guterres urged digital giants to implement immediate regulations for the digital world, emphasizing the need for child protection and an international ban on autonomous weapons. The UN's concerns are amplified by a report from an Independent Scientific Advisory Body on AI, which identified three major threats: the breakneck speed of algorithm development, the concentration of digital power in the hands of a few corporations, and AI's unique capacity to erode truth and public trust.

Guterres highlighted the growing danger of AI-generated falsehoods convincingly mimicking reality, while genuine evidence is increasingly dismissed as fake. This situation, he warned, leads to a breakdown of public trust, the corruption of information integrity, and the decay of democratic debate. He noted that most nations currently lack the technical expertise to independently assess the latest AI models.

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The generated lie can today effectively pretend to be reality, while authentic evidence can be rejected as forgery.

A paramount demand from the UN is a categorical international ban on so-called "killer robots" – autonomous lethal weapon systems capable of selecting targets and launching attacks without human intervention. Guterres deemed this direction of military development morally repugnant and politically unacceptable, urging nations not to wait for atrocities to occur. The UN also stressed the critical importance of safeguarding children in the digital age.

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Let us not wait for atrocities to happen.