AI cannot be left to 'whims of a few billionaires': UN chief

UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned technology leaders of the risks of artificial intelligence, saying its future cannot be left to "the whims of a few billionaires".

Speaking at a global AI summit in India on Thursday, the UN chief called on tech tycoons to support a $3 billion global fund to ensure open access to the fast-advancing technology for all.

"AI must belong to everyone," he said.

"The future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries - or left to the whims of a few billionaires," he added, warning the world risked deepening inequality unless urgent steps were taken.

"Done right, AI can... accelerate breakthroughs in medicine, expand learning opportunities, strengthen food security, bolster climate action and disaster preparedness and improve access to vital public services," he said.

"But it can also deepen inequality, amplify bias and fuel harm."

The UN has set up an AI scientific advisory body to help countries make decisions about the revolutionary technology.

Guterres warned that people must be protected from exploitation, and that "no child should be a test subject for unregulated AI".

He pressed for global guardrails to ensure oversight and accountability, and the creation of "Global Fund on AI" to build basic capacity.

‘A safe space’

French President Emmanuel Macron, on the other hand, said that he was determined to ensure safe oversight of the fast-evolving technology.

The European Union has led the way for global regulation with its Artificial Intelligence Act, which was adopted in 2024 and is coming into force in phases.

"We are determined to continue to shape the rules of the game... with our allies such as India," Macron added.

"Europe is not blindly focused on regulation - Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space."

Macron, speaking at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, said France was "doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained", with new startups in the sector creating "dozens of thousands" of jobs.

Last month, French lawmakers passed a bill that would ban social media use for under-15s, which awaits a Senate vote before becoming law, following a similar ban enacted by Australia in December.

"One of our G7 priorities will be, as well, children's protection against AI and digital abuse," Macron said on Thursday.

"There is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world," he said.

‘A medium for inclusion’

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Artificial intelligence has to be open to all.

"AI has to be democratised so that humans don't just become a data point for AI or remain a raw material for AI," Modi said, speaking in Hindi.

"We must democratise AI. It must become a medium for inclusion and empowerment, particularly for the Global South."

The AI Impact Summit is the fourth annual international gathering focused on the rapidly advancing field.