The Future of Artificial Intelligence and the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance: A Turning Point in Human History

On July 6, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland, the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance began. Established by a resolution of the UN General Assembly, this event brought together representatives of governments, technology companies, the scientific community, civil society, and international organizations to develop coordinated approaches to regulating one of the most influential technologies of the 21st century. The event, held from July 6 to 7, attracted more than 4,000 delegates from 170 countries and received more than 1,500 written applications. It was not just another international conference but a point of bifurcation where it was decided whether humanity would manage the transformation carried by AI or allow it to manage itself.

Alarm Signal: Warnings from the Independent International Scientific Group on AI

The opening of the dialogue coincided with the presentation of the first report of the Independent International Scientific Group on AI, co-chaired by renowned scientist Yoshua Bengio and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Reiss. The document contained three main warnings that became the basis for all subsequent discussions.

The first warning was about speed. The Internet took 15 years to reach a billion users. AI achieved this in two years. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated at the opening of the dialogue: “AI is developing at a runaway speed — faster than humanity can keep up with. An experiment is being conducted on our societies — without a plan and without consent.” Systems are no longer just tools waiting for instructions — they write code, act in the network, and make decisions with less and less human control. Our institutions built to manage machines that follow commands are not ready for machines that make decisions.

The second warning was about power concentration. Computing power, data, and talent behind the most advanced systems are concentrated in the hands of a few companies and countries. Most states, including many developing ones, had no voice in the decisions that would shape their future. “When power imbalance is built into technology, inequality becomes part of the code,” warned Guterres.

The third warning was about truth. Machine lies can now convince as effectively as truth, and genuine evidence can be rejected as fake. This undermines the integrity of our information ecosystem and trust in it. As Maria Reiss said, “If you cannot distinguish fact from fiction, you cannot have democracy.”

Guterres' Four Priorities: Safety, Human Rights, Potential, and Transparency

In his speech, Guterres identified four key priorities for AI governance: safety, human rights, enhancing potential, and transparency. These principles are intended to translate broad global participation into concrete actions and make AI “safer, fairer, more accessible, and more ethical.”

The Secretary-General emphasized: “The question is no longer whether AI will transform our world — it already has. The question is whether we will manage this transformation together — or let it manage us.” He also stated: “We are the last generation that can establish the rules of coexistence between humanity and machines.” The dialogue was not aimed at concluding a formal agreement but should lay the foundation for future negotiations and create a common understanding of how to manage a technology that is developing faster than the rules intended to control it.

Key Themes of the Dialogue: Division, Safety, and Human Control

During the two-day session, a wide range of issues were discussed, reflecting the seven thematic clusters defined by the UN General Assembly resolution. The central theme was overcoming the “digital divide.” As noted by Ambassador Rein Tammta of Estonia, “developers of advanced systems are concentrated in two countries [the US and China],” leaving other states with many questions. Developing countries, in particular, fear that in the worst case, the AI gap will leave them behind forever.

AI safety became another key theme. Bengio warned that science currently cannot guarantee that as AI's capabilities grow, it will not cause “catastrophic harm.” Participants emphasized that protective mechanisms are needed throughout the entire lifecycle of systems, not just at the stage of training models. Special attention was paid to protecting children from the risks associated with AI.

Human control and accountability were also at the center of the discussions. As Chair of the General Assembly, Anna Lena Baerbock noted that “never before have the pace and scale of changes been so dazzling” and “never before has it been so difficult to understand and adapt to these changes.” She emphasized that “something with such power, with such deep impact on our economy, social systems, defense, and, therefore, on our world and security, but especially even in our homes, our food, and our children's bedrooms — can only be meaningfully and safely managed collectively.”

The Future of AI: From “Generation” to “Planning” and Autonomous Agents

While diplomats discussed rules, the technological landscape continued to change rapidly. 2026 became a turning point in the development of AI. The main trend was the shift from simple generative models to “agent AI” — autonomous systems capable of performing multi-step tasks without constant human involvement: from personalized planning to cyber security and health condition assessment. More and more leading AI companies are focusing on improving the ability of models to reason and perform tasks, advancing AI from the ability to “generate” to the ability to “plan.”

According to IDC forecasts, by 2026, 70% of organizations will use “composite AI,” combining generative, process, predictive, and agent technologies. By 2027, the use of AI agents in global companies will increase 10-fold, and the number of challenges will increase 1,000-fold. Global AI spending in 2026 will reach $2.59 trillion, and by 2029, it will reach $700 billion just in the IT sector.

Challenges of the Future: Energy, Employment, and Sovereignty

However, with opportunities come new challenges. AI energy consumption is becoming a critical issue. As Sally Radwan, the Chief Digital Director of the UN Environment Program, noted, “the future of AI is inseparable from the future of the planet.” The large-scale implementation of AI requires “curbing the energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as water and material consumption associated with AI.”

The impact on the labor market also raises concerns. Research shows that 48% of companies have reduced their workforce due to AI. At the same time, new professions and skill requirements are emerging: by 2027, 75% of hiring processes will include testing skills in AI. Generative AI and AI agents will create the first serious challenge to mass productivity tools in the last 30 years, leading to market changes worth $58 billion.

Another important trend is “sovereign AI.” By 2027, 35% of countries will use regional AI platforms based on their own proprietary data. This reflects the desire of states to maintain control over their data and technological infrastructure in the face of growing geopolitical competition.

Conclusion: A Moment of Choice That Will Determine the Future of Humanity

The UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance was a response to the challenge formulated by Guterres with extreme clarity: “The choice before us is between managed change and default drift.” Chair of the General Assembly, Anna Lena Baerbock, reminded us that the UN Charter, adopted 81 years ago, obliges us to “achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian nature.” AI is just such a problem.