UN Member States have launched a global dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI) governance and the Secretary-General has issued an open call for candidates to serve on the UN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. Mandated by the Pact for the Future and its Global Digital Compact, these two initiatives seek to advance global cooperation on responsible AI governance.

Following intergovernmental negotiations and consultations with diverse stakeholders, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) established the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in August 2025 as an inclusive space within the UN for governments and stakeholders to deliberate on today’s most pressing AI challenges. Its formal launch during the High-Level Week of the UNGA’s 80th session on 25 September 2025 provided an opportunity for Member States, UN specialized agencies, and other stakeholders to discuss key dimensions of inclusive and accountable AI governance – and to share their expectations for the first Global Dialogue in 2026.

Established by the same UNGA resolution in August, the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI is the first global scientific body on AI that brings together leading experts to assess how AI is transforming our lives. The call for nominations for Panel members is open until 31 October 2025. Scientists and experts from all regions and disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Prior to their inclusion in the Global Digital Compact, both the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI were among the recommendations of the High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (HLAB-AI) the Secretary-General established in 2023.

A report by the Secretary-General outlining innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity building was also presented to the public during the UNGA’s 80th session.

One of the five objectives of the Global Digital Compact, enhancing international AI governance  has been repeatedly recognized as a matter of urgency. While a recent UN report identified AI and frontier technologies as the top risk for the 2025-3031 period, another assessment underscored opportunities for AI to “reignite development.” Earlier this year, an AI summit in Paris, France, launched a global Coalition for Sustainable AI to help align AI development with the SDGs and foster responsible AI that supports environmental policies. [Watch High-level Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance]