UN Chief Sounds Alarm on AI Threat

UN rights chief Volker Turk warns about the existential threat posed by artificial intelligence, urging companies to mitigate risks. In a Geneva speech, he highlighted the control a few individuals have over AI and called for global cooperation on safety measures.

In a bold address to the UN Human Rights Council, Volker Turk, the UN rights chief, expressed grave concerns over the potential existential risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI).

He emphasized that a few individuals hold significant power over AI's trajectory, naming leading companies like Meta, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Turk urged immediate international collaboration to establish robust safety guarantees.

This warning comes amid broader calls from AI industry leaders, including OpenAI's Sam Altman, and follows a UN-organized global meeting on AI governance in July.