UN establishes global AI scientific panel; US votes no, Türkiye secures seat

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the creation of a 40-member global scientific panel tasked with evaluating the risks and societal impacts of artificial intelligence, passing the resolution Friday with 117 votes in favor, two against, and two abstentions. The United States and Paraguay cast the sole dissenting votes, while Tunisia and Ukraine abstained.

Scope and Mandate

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the decision as "a foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI," emphasizing the panel will deliver independent, rigorous analysis to assist member states navigating rapid technological change. The experts, selected from over 2,600 candidates through an independent process led by the International Telecommunication Union, UNESCO, and the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, will serve three-year terms. Their assessments will cover AI's technological evolution alongside economic, ethical, and social implications.

Turkish Representation

Among the appointees is Melahat Bilge Demirkoz, a professor of high energy physics at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. The panel also includes Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, two US-based academics, two Chinese representatives, and Russian expert Andrei Neznamov—whose inclusion prompted Ukraine's abstention citing the ongoing conflict with Moscow.

US Opposition

Washington's Trump administration strongly opposed the initiative. US mission counselor Lauren Lovelace characterized the panel as "a significant overreach of the UN's mandate and competence," asserting AI governance is not a subject for UN dictation. "We will not cede authority over AI to international bodies that may be influenced by authoritarian regimes," Lovelace stated, pledging continued US cooperation with like-minded nations.

Rooted in 'Pact for the Future'

Guterres announced the panel earlier this month as part of the Pact for the Future, aimed at strengthening multilateral approaches to emerging technologies. "AI is moving at the speed of light. No country can see the full picture alone," he stressed, calling for shared understanding to build effective guardrails. The panel's first report is expected by July's Global Dialogue on AI Governance.