United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned against artificial intelligence falling under the control of a handful of countries or companies, calling for broader access to the technology during a speech on Thursday.
Speaking at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Guterres urged international support for a global network of AI exchange and cooperation, along with a dedicated global fund to support the technology's development.
The UN chief also turned to the environmental cost of AI infrastructure. He demanded that major AI companies disclose the full environmental footprint of their systems and power them entirely with renewable energy before 2030. The remarks come as the energy demands of large-scale AI models have drawn increasing scrutiny from climate advocates and policymakers worldwide.