UN chief urges global rules to curb autonomous weapons and ensure AI accountability

At the start of the high-level UN General Assembly session in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for a responsible approach to artificial intelligence, stressing that machines should never make life-or-death choices. He warned that autonomous weapons, often dubbed “killer robots,” have no place in the future and called on leading AI powers to develop common safety standards, increase risk transparency and set up independent oversight bodies.

While acknowledging AI’s potential to advance medicine and science, Guterres warned that the danger lies in technology without accountability. He also urged an end to the conflict in West Asia, criticizing ceasefires that have merely reduced the intensity of fighting while civilians continue to suffer. The speech framed AI governance as a global security priority alongside urgent humanitarian concerns.