Warning that current safeguards cannot keep pace with the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capabilities, an inaugural report by the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI provides the evidence base governments can build policy from. The first Global Dialogue on AI Governance where the Panel presented its findings preceded the 2026 editions of the AI for Good Global Summit and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum, which celebrated breakthroughs in AI and digital innovation and underscored the need to ensure AI and digital technologies benefit all of humanity.

These high-profile events convened as part of Geneva Digital Week, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 6-10 July 2026.

The first Global Dialogue on AI Governance sought to ensure that governance reflects the priorities of all nations, not just the most technologically advanced, and that advances in AI benefit all.

Addressing the Dialogue, UN Secretary-General António Guterresoutlined four priorities for the road ahead: safety; red lines; capacity; and transparency.

Participants emphasized science-based collaboration as the foundation for addressing challenges relating to trust, equity, and accessibility.

​​The AI for Good Global Summit and WSIS Forum 2026 built on the Global Dialogue on AI Governance by connecting principles with practice on AI and digital technologies. The two platforms showcased the latest breakthroughs in AI innovation, demonstrating how real-world solutions, skills development, and standards can work together to translate into AI that works for all.

At the core of the AI for Good Global Summit was the first meeting of the newly formed AI for Good Global Commission, which called for urgent action on trust, equitable access, and real-world AI solutions, highlighting AI’s unprecedented potential to address global challenges.

The UN’s longest-standing platform on furthering digital development, WSIS Forum 2026 featured high-level discussions and grassroots conversations on digital cooperation, capacity building, and refugee connectivity, among other issues.

Both the AI for Good Global Summit and WSIS Forum are organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), with over 50 UN partners and the Government of Switzerland. The WSIS Forum is co-organized with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The first Global Dialogue on AI Governance convened from 6-7 July 2026. WSIS Forum 2026 took place from 6-10 July. The AI for Good Global Summit was held from 7-10 July.