In conclusion: UN General Assembly Debate Day 5

AI: Big promise, serious danger

Why this matters: Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the important themes of the day, with speakers describing a technology that is capable of transforming economies and improving living standards, but also has the potential to widen inequality, undermine trust and threaten security.

• Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said AI should be developed “for positivity and good”, while calling for efforts to narrow the digital divide.
• Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan described AI as “the most urgent frontier”, arguing that the government needs to invest in infrastructure and skills alongside stringent safeguards and regulations. The bottom line is very human: “Humans must remain in control and responsible.”

Who can shape the future of AI?

The big picture: Several speakers warned that the AI ​​revolution risks creating global inequality, where technological and decision-making power is concentrated in a few countries.

• Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith warned against allowing AI to “deepen old inequalities and create new global inequalities”, and called for investment in infrastructure, skills and capacity in developing countries.
• Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan put this question more forcefully: “Southern countries cannot simply become destinations for data centers while decisions regarding AI are made in other countries.”
• Belize Prime Minister John Briceño noted that well-managed AI can expand access to knowledge and improve public services. But if not managed well, this could deepen inequality, displace workers and make developing countries dependent on technology and regulations created by other countries.

Regulations are struggling to be adhered to

Reality check: Technology is advancing across national borders faster than governments can regulate it.

• Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan warned that “technology is moving faster than regulation in almost all countries”, and AI is widening the gap.
• German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul understands both sides of the argument, envisioning AI helping humanity prevent hunger and curing cancer, while warning that in the wrong hands, AI could disrupt the economy and affect global peace and security. “Every time power becomes global, responsibility must become global too,” he said.

Migration tests solidarity

Beyond technology: The movement of people across national borders brings this debate back to humanitarian reality.

• Djibouti is asking for international help as thousands of people fleeing violence in Yemen put pressure on the country’s ability to accept refugees.
• The Holy See called for an end to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of stateless Rohingya, while Tunisia urged countries to move beyond treating irregular migration as merely a security issue and address underlying causes such as conflict, poverty and unemployment.
• The Philippines emphasizes that migrant workers are entitled to human rights and protection from trafficking and exploitation, regardless of their status.

Youth as an opportunity, not a crisis

Forward: Zambia offers a different perspective on demographic change, describing Africa’s young population as one of the continent’s greatest assets.

• Foreign Minister Mulambo Hamakuni Haimbe noted that by 2050, one in every four generations of young people worldwide will be of African origin, arguing that education, skills, technology, entrepreneurship and decent jobs will determine whether such demographic change will become an engine of global prosperity.

And further: The General Assembly returns Monday for its final day of 2026 general debate, capping off a week of speeches, warnings and prescriptions for world change this year. Follow Meeting Coverage Hereand a special site dedicated to the debate Here.