The United Nations has approved the creation of a new 40-member international panel to study the risks and impact of artificial intelligence, moving forward despite firm opposition from the United States. The decision comes at a time when concerns about AI are growing louder — including from former insiders at major technology companies.
The UN General Assembly voted 117-2 in favor of establishing the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The United States and Paraguay voted against the measure, while Tunisia and Ukraine abstained. Russia, China and several European nations supported the initiative.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the panel as a “foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI,” saying it would provide independent expertise at a moment when the technology is advancing rapidly.
A Global Body to Study AI’s Risks and Opportunities
According to the UN, the new panel will produce an annual report analyzing AI’s risks, benefits and broader societal effects. It is being described as the first global scientific body of its kind dedicated to artificial intelligence.
Guterres said that in a world where AI development is accelerating, many countries lack the technical capacity to assess its consequences. The panel, he argued, will help ensure all member states can engage in informed discussions on equal footing, backed by rigorous and independent scientific insight.
The 40 experts were selected from more than 2,600 candidates following an independent review conducted by various UN bodies and the International Telecommunications Union. Members will serve three-year terms. Europe holds 12 seats on the panel, with representatives from countries including France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Belgium and Poland.
Growing Alarm From Inside the AI Industry
The UN vote comes amid mounting concern within the tech sector itself. Several former employees of AI companies have publicly raised red flags about the direction of the industry.
Mrinank Sharma, a former safety researcher at Anthropic, warned in an open letter that “the world is in peril,” citing rapid AI development alongside other global crises. Zoe Hitzig, a former top researcher at OpenAI, has said she holds “deep reservations” about the strategy her former employer is pursuing.
High-profile figures in the field have also expressed concern. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI chief Sam Altman, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak have all spoken publicly about the potential dangers of unchecked AI advancement.
US Calls Move an Overreach
Despite broad international backing, the initiative faced sharp criticism from Washington. Lauren Lovelace, representing the United States at the UN, called the panel “a significant overreach of the UN’s mandate and competence.” She argued that AI governance should not be dictated by the United Nations.
Still, with strong global support behind it, the panel is set to begin its work — marking a new chapter in international efforts to understand and manage one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era.
