Ayanangsha Maitra
New Delhi, February 19, 2026 — In a sharply worded address at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a blunt warning: the future of artificial intelligence cannot be shaped by a handful of powerful nations—or controlled by tech elites.
“The future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries – or left to the whims of a few billionaires,” Guterres said, drawing sustained applause at the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Standing alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the UN chief praised India’s leadership in convening the summit, calling its location symbolically powerful.
“Meeting in India has special meaning. It brings this conversation closer to the realities shaping much of the world.”
UN Moves From Talk to Action
Guterres announced that the UN has formally appointed a 40-member Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, created by the UN General Assembly last year to inject evidence—not hype—into the global AI debate.
“These 40 leading experts embody a clear message: AI must belong to everyone. We must replace hype and fear with shared evidence – and close knowledge gaps.”
He also confirmed the launch of a Global Dialogue on AI Governance, with its first session scheduled in Geneva this July, aimed at building guardrails around human oversight, accountability, and rights protections.
“We need guardrails that preserve human agency, human oversight – and human accountability.”
$3 Billion to Prevent the Global South From Being ‘Logged Out’
In perhaps the most consequential proposal of the day, Guterres called for a $3 billion Global Fund on AI to build capacity in developing countries—covering skills, data access, affordable computing power, and inclusive ecosystems.
“Our target is 3 billion US dollars. That’s less than one per cent of the annual revenue of a single tech company,” he said pointedly. “A small price for AI diffusion that benefits all.”
His warning was stark: without investment, entire nations risk being “logged out of the AI age.”
Promise vs Peril
While outlining AI’s transformative potential—accelerating medical breakthroughs, expanding education, boosting food security, strengthening climate resilience—Guterres did not soften the risks.
“AI can deepen inequality, amplify bias, and fuel harm.”
He flagged soaring energy and water consumption by data centres and cautioned against shifting environmental costs to vulnerable communities.
“As AI’s energy and water demands soar, data centres and supply chains must switch to clean power — not shift costs to vulnerable communities.”
He also issued a strong human-rights warning:
“No child should be a test subject for unregulated AI.”
The summit’s message, Guterres said, is simple but urgent:
“Real impact means technology that improves lives and protects the planet.”
As governments, tech firms and civil society gathered in New Delhi, the tone was clear: AI is no longer just a technology story- it is a development, climate, economic and human rights story. And the battle over who shapes its future has begun.
“Let’s build AI for everyone,” Guterres concluded, “with dignity as the default setting.”
Get real time update about this post category directly on your device, subscribe now.
