EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Appointment of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence
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Madam President,
Excellencies,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, as well as Albania, Armenia, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Georgia, Israel, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
First and foremost, allow me to express our gratitude to the Secretary-General for presenting a list of 40 recommended members for the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (“Panel”), as requested by the General Assembly in the modalities resolution adopted last year.
I would also like to once again extend our deep appreciation to the Permanent Representatives of Spain and Costa Rica, who spared no efforts as co-facilitators of said resolution.
The substantial number of applications received for the Panel reflects the strong global interest in this new UN mechanism. We recognize the formidable task of selecting 40 experts amongst 2 700 applications, and commend the Secretariat for assembling such a high-level and balanced Panel, in particular with regards to geographic and gender balance, while ensuring its scientific credibility and multidisciplinary nature. We are pleased to welcome the establishment of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, which will allow for the advancement of the understanding of AI, including the opportunities, risks and impacts of AI on humanity.
We call on the 40 members serving in their personal capacity to uphold the scientific excellence and independence of the Panel, which will be essential to its legitimacy. We look forward to the Panel’s work as a key building block in the ongoing discussions on AI at the UN.
As the Panel begins its work, we stress the importance of ensuring that its secretariat draws on the full breadth of expertise and resources available across the United Nations system and already gathered within the Inter-Agency Working Group on AI.
Madam President,
Excellencies,
We remain steadfast in our commitment to engaging constructively with all stakeholders to advance discussions on AI at the UN. Let us work together to ensure the UN is well-equipped, inclusive, relevant, and effective in addressing this matter. Let us demonstrate our collective resolve to harness this transformative technology to ensure it is safe, secure, trustworthy, and contributes to sustainable development, for the benefit of all.
Thank you.