# Global AI development, governance, and societal impacts

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-ai-development-and-governance-concerns
> Updated: 2026-10-24T04:26:12.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 3.

Discussions regarding the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence have centered on risks to sovereignty and the need for regulation. Nikola Dujmović, director of Span, warned of a potential ‘new colonialism,’ noting that only 16 to 20 of the 193 UN member states possess the capacity to develop AI models. He suggested that a lack of regulation could allow malicious actors to cause harm and advocated for state regulation and the implementation of a ‘kill switch’ in all systems. Further concerns have been raised regarding data privacy and human agency. Marc Rotenberg of the Center for AI and Digital Policy highlighted the challenges of protecting personal information within massive machine learning datasets. Additionally, former researcher Jacob Coxon testified that current developers lack sufficient safeguards to prevent advanced systems from pursuing unintended goals.

Recent warnings have expanded to include the dual-natured risks of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Researchers caution that AGI could trigger an ‘intelligence explosion,’ potentially compressing centuries of scientific progress into a single decade, while simultaneously posing catastrophic risks if control is lost. Beyond existential threats, experts highlight psychological risks; because AI is designed to be agreeable, it may act as an ‘ultimate listener’ that validates harmful misconceptions or reinforces biases, potentially deepening social isolation.

As AI is increasingly utilized as an emotional companion, therapist, or life coach, experts are examining its long-term effects on human cognitive abilities and dignity. This has prompted calls for religious institutions to move toward active, responsible engagement with the technology. The central debate emphasizes human responsibility in ensuring these tools serve humanity rather than facilitating manipulation or surveillance.

## Claims

- In France, 40% of children aged 11 to 12 use general AI services weekly, while only 26% of parents are aware of this. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Gen Threat Labs demonstrated that AI agents can be manipulated into executing system commands via untrusted content. (single source)
- NCERT has released a 20-hour AI and computational thinking module for students in classes 9 to 12. (single source)
- 94% of respondents in the Morgan Philips 2026 study view critical thinking as a valuable skill in the age of AI. (single source)
- Millennials in France are the primary users of generative AI at work, with 37% using it daily. (single source)
- AI labs including OpenAI and Anthropic are privately modeling scenarios involving public revolt and political crackdowns. (single source)
- The training compute for notable AI models has roughly doubled every six months since 2010. (single source)
- 33% of Millennials in a French study reported receiving no formal training in artificial intelligence. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-24: AI development poses extreme risks of intelligence explosion and social manipulation

Experts warn that AGI presents both existential risks through rapid intelligence explosions and subtle social risks through excessive validation of human biases.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ai-development-poses-extreme-risks-of-intelligence-explosion-and-social-manipulation

### 2026-10-23: Artificial Intelligence: Emerging risks, societal impacts, and educational shifts

As AI agents gain autonomy, global focus shifts toward managing security risks, implementing ethical educational modules, and addressing the growing gap in AI literacy across different age groups and sectors.

17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ai-development-raises-concerns-over-data-privacy-and-human-sovereignty

### 2026-10-05: AI development risks creating a new form of digital colonialism

Nikola Dujmović warns of ‘new colonialism’ as a few nations dominate AI development, urging for strict regulation and ‘kill switches’ to prevent misuse and global dependency.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ai-development-risks-creating-a-new-form-of-digital-colonialism

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Cite as: Global AI development, governance, and societal impacts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-ai-development-and-governance-concerns