20 nations call for new global body to oversee AI

Leaders and representatives from 20 countries released a statement Monday afternoon calling for increased oversight of advanced AI systems. The statement, hosted by the President of Finland, declares that the rapid pace of AI development and recent episodes of AI systems’ sidestepping safety protocols demand concerted international coordination. “AI must remain under human direction, oversight and control,” the statement says. “It must be developed and used in line with international law.” Representatives from major powers including the U.S., U.K. and China have not signed the document. The statement comes a day before the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level General Debate kicks off, when political and business leaders from around the world descend on New York City for the week to hash out agreements and chart out priorities for the year ahead.

Heads of state or government that signed the statement include Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Kenyan President William Ruto, Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Several ministers and other government figures had also signed the document, including Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, and the United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The statement features three main calls to action. First, it asks companies to test their systems