UN General Assembly leaders warn of AI risks and development inequality

During the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State for the Holy See, warned that artificial intelligence poses risks to human dignity. He cautioned that those with superior technical and economic resources could impose their own versions of reality, potentially amplifying global inequalities. Parolin called for international cooperation to ensure all states have access to the financial, technological, and human resources necessary for their own development.

In a separate session marking the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that the promise of the 1986 Declaration remains unfulfilled for millions. Guterres emphasized that development, human rights, and peace are interconnected, urging leaders to use the Sustainable Development Goals as a roadmap to address deep global inequalities and ensure that development does not become an exclusive privilege of the wealthy.