'AI cannot be a privilege of a few': UN chief backs India summit

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has highlighted India as the ideal host for the forthcoming AI Impact Summit, emphasizing that the advancements in artificial intelligence should be accessible to all nations, not just the world's major powers. In a recent interview at UN headquarters, Guterres commended India's rising global stature and expressed the importance of including developing countries in discussions about AI's benefits. The inaugural AI Impact Summit is scheduled to take place in India from February 16 to 20. He stated, "I strongly congratulate India for organizing this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that countries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI." This landmark summit, the first of its kind hosted in the Global South, will focus on the principles of People, Planet, and Progress. Guterres, who plans to attend the event in India, cautioned against the monopolization of AI by a select few nations, declaring, "It would be totally unacceptable that AI would be just a privilege of the most developed countries or a division only between two superpowers." He stressed the necessity for AI to serve as a universal resource for the well-being of all humanity. Guterres further remarked on India's significant role in the global economy and its increasing influence on international matters, asserting, "India is the right place to have this Summit and to make sure that AI is being discussed in depth, in all its enormous potential and also in all its risks, but that AI belongs to the whole world and not only to a few." The summit is expected to attract an array of world leaders and tech executives, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. During his visit, Guterres plans to engage with Indian leaders on global cooperation and will advocate for a multipolar international system. He cautioned against a global landscape dominated by a single power or divided between two superpowers, saying, "There are two things we need to avoid in the world." He described himself as a proponent of multipolarity, emphasizing that emerging economies should play a more substantial role in global governance. Citing the recent trade agreement between India and the European Union as a positive development, Guterres remarked, "India is one of the most relevant emerging economies." He believes that there is a growing network of both developed and emerging economies striving for a multipolar world, fostering effective multilateral organizations. He concluded by expressing his desire to discuss India's pivotal role in shaping this multipolar landscape with Prime Minister Modi, expressing hope for India's influence in global affairs. Guterres also reflected on India's historical impact on world civilization, noting its cultural exchanges dating back centuries and its connections to various regions, including the Mediterranean during the Roman Empire. He remarked, "It is always an enormous pleasure to visit India."