On September 25, the United Nations held a high-level meeting at its headquarters in New York to officially launch the “Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance” mechanism. This move not only responds to the urgent need for coordinated global oversight of transformative AI technology but also sets a key direction for the AI new trend centered on multilateral collaboration and inclusive rule-making.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized in his speech that the mechanism will serve as the world’s primary platform for focusing on AI—a technology reshaping societies and economies. He pointed out that amid the AI new trend of rapid cross-border application and evolving risks, the Global Dialogue mechanism has three core goals: building safe, reliable, and trustworthy AI systems rooted in international law, human rights, and effective oversight; promoting synergy between different national and regional governance frameworks to reduce regulatory conflicts and remove barriers to economic cooperation; and encouraging open innovation accessible to all, including the promotion of open-source tools, to prevent the AI new trend from widening the global digital divide.
Guterres further announced that the UN will establish an “Independent International Scientific Panel on AI,” consisting of 40 experts. This panel will act as a global early-warning system for the AI new trend, providing independent insights into AI’s opportunities, risks, and impacts—such as the spread of misinformation via deepfakes—and offering evidence-based assessments to guide the Global Dialogue. Additionally, he revealed that a report on AI capacity-building financing has been submitted, and consultations to set up a Global AI Capacity Development Fund will soon start, ensuring developing countries can actively participate in and benefit from the AI new trend.
Bärbel Bas, President of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, highlighted the mechanism’s significance for balancing the AI new trend: “In a divided world, UN member states unanimously agree that AI’s power is too great to be controlled by a few privileged countries. The Global Dialogue ensures every nation, big or small, has a voice in shaping the AI new trend, so we can harness its potential while minimizing risks and achieving equitable access.”
Participants echoed this view, noting that the mechanism addresses key challenges of the AI new trend. Kwabena Asaku, Deputy Director of Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cited deepfakes and misinformation as typical risks of the AI new trend, stressing that only global collaboration can provide effective solutions.
China’s role in guiding the AI new trend also drew wide attention. Mariya Mahmoud Saraco, Nigerian Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, stated that China, as a major global tech power, is crucial to upholding multilateralism in the AI new trend. Chen Zhimin, Vice President of Fudan University and Executive Director of the Global AI Governance Innovation Center, added that China has proposed many initiatives to advance international AI cooperation and governance amid the AI new trend. He noted that launching more AI public goods in the future will enable China to play a more leading role in shaping the global AI governance system and steering the AI new trend toward greater inclusivity and sustainability.
The launch of this mechanism builds on a historic United Nations General Assembly resolution adopted on August 26, 2025, which passed with 182 votes in favor (out of 193 member states). This overwhelming support reflects the international community’s shared recognition that multilateral governance is essential to guiding the AI new trend—a consensus that will lay the foundation for responsible AI development worldwide.
