UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity. He called on countries that host AI development and supply chains to agree international red lines on what the technology must never be allowed to do. Speaking at the council’s 63rd session, Türk said the need for AI governance is widely acknowledged but asked where the action is. He noted that a handful of men hold almost unlimited power over AI and named OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta among the firms involved. His office plans direct engagement with those companies. Türk said AI that escapes its testing environment or blackmails developers to avoid being switched off is already too powerful. He demanded cast-iron safety guarantees, independent verification instead of self-reporting, and assessments of AI’s effects on jobs, democracy and the environment.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity. He called on countries that host AI development and supply chains to agree international red lines on what the technology must never be allowed to do. Speaking at the council’s 63rd session, Türk said the need for AI governance is widely acknowledged but asked where the action is. He noted that a handful of men hold almost unlimited power over AI and named OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta among the firms involved. His office plans direct engagement with those companies. Türk said AI that escapes its testing environment or blackmails developers to avoid being switched off is already too powerful. He demanded cast-iron safety guarantees, independent verification instead of self-reporting, and assessments of AI’s effects on jobs, democracy and the environment.