The U.S. rejected calls for centralized global oversight of artificial intelligence at the United Nations General Assembly, setting up a clash with leaders who want the U.N. to play a coordinating role. Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told a Security Council session that Washington “totally” opposes any international body asserting control over AI, arguing for national sovereignty over bureaucracy. President Trump, while warning of AI’s dangers, said the administration will pursue an AI-based verification system to help enforce the Biological Weapons Convention.
The stance diverged from initiatives unveiled in New York, including the U.N.’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance. U.N. officials emphasized the effort aims to facilitate cooperation, not impose regulation. China and Spain endorsed a central role for the U.N., highlighting geopolitical rifts over how to police the fast-moving technology. Analysts said Washington’s preference for bilateral and “minilateral” arrangements could preserve flexibility for innovation but risks a fragmented rulebook as AI’s cross-border impacts grow. The new U.N. dialogue will convene its first full meeting alongside the ITU’s AI for Good summit in Geneva in 2026.
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– NIST AI Risk Management Framework
– UK AI Safety Summit 2023
– OECD AI Principles
