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Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving faster than governments can keep up with and has predicted the structures of more than 200 million proteins, accelerated drug discovery, vaccine development and antibiotic resistance research.
The United Nations (UN), in a report released on Wednesday, saw the huge benefits of using artificial intelligence in healthcare, technology, education and other sectors of the economy.
However, while AI capabilities are accelerating, experts say the rules that ensure the safe use of AI are struggling to keep pace.
This is the conclusion of the preliminary report of the independent United Nations report from the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.
The report, which will be presented to governments at the inaugural UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva from 6-7 July, offers the first global, independent scientific assessment of AI, with a more comprehensive and comprehensive report planned for 2027.
The report also highlights the benefits of using AI to increase food security and improve lives.
“AI-based early warning systems are helping to identify food insecurity before it becomes a crisis.
“Doctors are using AI to detect diseases like breast cancer early, while healthcare workers in developing countries are using AI tools in local languages to improve patient care.
“Improving lives: AI supports scientific research, making technology more accessible for people with disabilities and expanding opportunities for personalized education and mental health support,” it says.
However, he warns that the window to establish effective global governance remains open, but may not remain so for long as artificial intelligence could become one of humanity’s most transformative technologies.
Used responsibly, it could accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals by improving healthcare, education, scientific research, agriculture and accessibility for people with disabilities.
But without safeguards, the same technology could exacerbate inequality, spread misinformation, threaten human rights, disrupt labor markets, and put powerful AI systems in the hands of a handful of governments and companies.
The challenge, according to the report, is to find a way to exploit the enormous benefits of artificial intelligence while preventing its growing risks.
AI capabilities have advanced at an extraordinary rate in recent years.
Powerful new computer networks, large amounts of training data, and improved artificial intelligence techniques have produced systems capable of fluent conversation, advanced scientific reasoning, software development, and the creation of highly realistic images, audio, and video.
Instead of simply responding to requests, AI “agents” can increasingly plan tasks, use digital tools, write software, and complete complex tasks with little or no human supervision.
According to the report, researchers say the complexity of the tasks these systems can complete has doubled every few months.
The report further highlights the risks arising from the use of artificial intelligence, highlighting that the same technology is also creating new dangers such as online abuse, misinformation, crime, mental health, loss of control and environmental impact.
AI could fuel the spread of abusive material and sexually explicit deepfakes, with women and children most at risk.
It could generate false information that is as convincing as the truth, undermining trust in public debate and democracy.
“Criminals use artificial intelligence to carry out cyber attacks, fraud and social engineering scams.
“Some AI systems can reinforce harmful beliefs or behaviors, leading to mental health crises, including suicide.
“As AI becomes more autonomous, experts warn that it may become more difficult to monitor and govern without stronger safeguards.
“Energy-hungry data centers that power artificial intelligence are contributing to greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming.”
Although it is used worldwide, access remains highly concentrated in developed countries.
The report finds that the United States possesses about three-quarters of the computing power of the world’s leading AI supercomputers, while China accounts for about 15%, giving the two countries about 90% of that combined computing power.
The most advanced AI models are also developed by companies based in these two countries.
Many developing countries lack the IT infrastructure, technical expertise, data, investment and local language resources needed to fully benefit from AI.
As a result, they often depend on technologies that they cannot build, inspect, test, or adapt to their own companies.
The panel warns that if these gaps are not addressed, AI could reinforce existing global inequalities rather than reduce them.
According to the UN panel, today’s governance systems were not designed for such rapid technological evolution.
The report finds that stronger independent evaluation, international cooperation and common standards are needed to ensure that AI systems remain safe, transparent and accountable.
At the same time, countries need investments in digital infrastructure, education, technical skills and institutions so they can govern and implement AI on their own terms.
