Global Dialogue on AI Governance

BAI observed the High-level multi-stakeholder informal meeting to launch the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, held on 25 September 2025 during the high-level week of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. This event marked the formal start of a new UN platform designed to bring together governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and academia to discuss critical global challenges related to artificial intelligence. The Dialogue builds on the commitments enshrined in the Global Digital Compact and the recently adopted UN resolution A/RES/79/325, which also established the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI.

In his remarks at the launch, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted that AI is already reshaping societies and economies and underscored the need for collective governance to ensure the technology serves all of humanity. He emphasized three foundational pillars for effective international cooperation on AI – policy, science, and capacity – stressing that inclusive governance requires evidence-based insights, interoperable regulatory approaches, and targeted efforts to narrow digital and technological divides.

The Terms of Reference and Modalities adopted by the General Assembly set out the purpose of the Global Dialogue as an open, transparent, and inclusive space for sustained exchange on AI governance. This framework aims to provide countries of all sizes – including those historically underrepresented in global technology discussions – with a voice in shaping norms, identifying shared priorities, and exploring approaches that uphold human rights, international law, and sustainable development. The Dialogue will also feature periodic multi-stakeholder consultations and feed into broader reviews of the Global Digital Compact and other global digital cooperation processes.

Stakeholder expectations for the Dialogue are high, with many governments and partners stressing that inclusive cooperation on AI governance is essential to realizing the benefits of artificial intelligence while mitigating risks related to equity, ethics, accountability, and safety. BAI welcomes the launch of the Global Dialogue as an important step toward more balanced and representative global AI governance. Looking ahead, BAI looks forward to contributing to the Dialogue’s future sessions through knowledge sharing, multi-sector collaboration, and engagement that bridges technological innovation with international development priorities.