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UN launches High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence to shape global governance

Overview of the United Nations Secretary-General’s launch of a High-Level Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, including its mandate, composition, objectives and significance.

Zeph Tech Research Lead

Research lead, Zeph Tech

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Background: The past year has witnessed an extraordinary advance in artificial intelligence (AI), with chatbots, image generators and other generative systems entering the mainstream. United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres cautioned that this progress brings both transformational opportunities and serious risks. In a press conference launching a new High‑Level Multistakeholder Advisory Body on AI, he said the world needs an inclusive conversation on how to govern AI so its benefits are maximized and its dangers contained【931313868413195†L61-L124】.

Launch of the High‑Level Advisory Body: On 26 October 2023 the UN Secretary‑General announced the creation of a High‑Level Advisory Body on artificial intelligence. At the launch he noted that AI could “power extraordinary progress for humanity,” predicting crises, improving public‑health and education services, and supercharging climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals. Yet he warned that AI expertise and resources are concentrated in a few companies and countries; without global cooperation the technology could deepen inequality and undermine trust. He cited risks such as misinformation, entrenched bias, surveillance, privacy invasion and fraud【931313868413195†L61-L124】. Because of these stakes, the Advisory Body aims to link various governance initiatives and provide guidance on managing AI responsibly【441178756816836†L23-L67】.

Mandate and objectives: The Advisory Body will work independently and report to the UN Secretary‑General. By the end of 2023 it will produce preliminary recommendations in three areas: (1) international governance of AI; (2) a shared understanding of risks and challenges; and (3) key opportunities and enablers【931313868413195†L119-L123】【441178756816836†L23-L67】. These recommendations will inform preparations for the Summit of the Future in 2024 and negotiations of the proposed Global Digital Compact【931313868413195†L125-L129】. The body will also explore ways to connect existing national and sectoral AI initiatives, ensuring efforts are coherent rather than fragmented【441178756816836†L23-L67】.

Composition: The Advisory Body comprises thirty‑nine experts appointed by the Secretary‑General. They come from government, the private sector, academia and civil society and will serve in a personal capacity. The UN emphasises that the group is gender‑balanced, geographically diverse and spans generations【441178756816836†L74-L78】. According to the UN’s appointments announcement, members include:

  • Government officials and policy leaders: Omar Sultan al Olama (Minister of State for AI, United Arab Emirates), Carme Artigas (Spain’s Secretary of State for Digitalization and AI), Anna Christmann (Aerospace Coordinator in Germany) and Haksoo Ko (Chair of Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission), among others【747327790838671†L60-L100】.
  • Academics and researchers: Abeba Birhane (Mozilla Foundation advisor on AI accountability, Ethiopia), Virginia Dignum (Professor of Responsible AI at Umeå University, Sweden), Andreas Krause (Professor at ETH Zurich, Switzerland), Emma Ruttkamp‑Bloem (University of Pretoria, South Africa) and Jaan Tallinn (co‑founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, Estonia)【747327790838671†L60-L132】.
  • Industry leaders: Natasha Crampton (Chief Responsible AI Officer, Microsoft), Mira Murati (Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI), Hiroaki Kitano (Chief Technology Officer, Sony), James Manyika (Senior Vice‑President of Google‑Alphabet), Nazneen Rajani (Lead Researcher at Hugging Face), and Yi Zeng (Director of the Brain‑inspired Cognitive AI Lab, Chinese Academy of Sciences)【747327790838671†L60-L132】.
  • Civil society and philanthropy: Nighat Dad (Executive Director of Pakistan’s Digital Rights Foundation), Vilas Dhar (President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation), Rahaf Harfoush (digital anthropologist, France) and Marietje Schaake (International Policy Director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center)【747327790838671†L60-L132】.

Members will consult widely and transparently with stakeholders around the world. By drawing on diverse perspectives, the UN hopes to craft a common approach that balances innovation with safeguards and ensures AI benefits are shared broadly【441178756816836†L74-L78】.

Context and significance: The advisory body’s establishment reflects growing recognition that AI’s global impact requires global solutions. Unlike previous technology forums that were limited to experts or industrialised nations, this body brings together voices from the Global South, academia, industry and civil society. Its focus on linking existing initiatives acknowledges that dozens of AI governance efforts are underway – from national AI strategies and industry ethics guidelines to multilateral agreements. However, these initiatives often operate in isolation. By cataloguing and coordinating them, the UN hopes to prevent regulatory fragmentation and identify best practices that can be adopted worldwide.

The timing is deliberate. The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, the United States’ executive order on safe and trustworthy AI and China’s draft regulations on generative AI are all advancing simultaneously. Meanwhile, generative models like ChatGPT have heightened public awareness of AI’s disruptive potential. The advisory body will therefore consider how local and regional regulations can interoperate and what baseline principles – such as human rights, accountability and transparency – should guide AI deployment globally.

Risks and challenges highlighted by the Secretary‑General: In his remarks, Guterres warned that AI could deepen inequalities if expertise remains concentrated and access is uneven【931313868413195†L96-L103】. He highlighted risks including misinformation and disinformation, entrenched bias and discrimination, invasion of privacy, fraud, surveillance, and the potential for malicious use to undermine trust and social cohesion【931313868413195†L94-L120】. These concerns underpin the Advisory Body’s mandate to develop a shared understanding of AI‑related risks and propose mechanisms to mitigate them.

Opportunities and positive vision: Despite the risks, the Secretary‑General stressed AI’s transformative potential. He said AI could help predict crises, improve healthcare and education, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals【931313868413195†L79-L94】. For developing economies, AI offers the possibility of leapfrogging outdated technologies and bringing services directly to people【931313868413195†L84-L89】. By harnessing AI responsibly, the world can supercharge climate action, create inclusive economic growth and accelerate scientific discovery.

Next steps: The advisory body will meet regularly and gather input through consultations, working groups and public submissions. It aims to deliver its preliminary recommendations by late 2023, with a final report likely in 2024. These recommendations will inform the UN’s Summit of the Future and contribute to the Global Digital Compact – a proposed international agreement on digital governance. The work will also intersect with the UN’s Science Advisory Board and other initiatives, ensuring coherence across the organisation【931313868413195†L119-L129】.

Implications: The UN High‑Level Advisory Body on AI represents an important step toward a global framework for AI governance. If successful, it could lead to internationally agreed principles on ethical AI, guidelines for shared standards and risk management, and mechanisms for cooperation on enforcement and accountability. The body’s inclusive composition also signals a shift toward multistakeholder governance, recognising that AI’s challenges and benefits span borders and sectors. Ultimately, the body’s recommendations will shape how governments, industry and civil society harness AI in ways that benefit humanity while safeguarding rights and ensuring no one is left behind.

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