UNGA President warns against AI arms race at 81st session opening

Khalilur Rahman, President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), warned on Wednesday, 23 September, that the international body must accelerate its efforts to keep pace with artificial intelligence or risk losing control over global critical systems. Addressing the assembly in New York, Rahman stated that AI is no longer a future prospect but is already deeply embedded in global infrastructure. He called for the immediate development of "prudent and reliable guardrails," emphasizing that these frameworks must be built using independent scientific input rather than relying solely on government-led initiatives. Global security and the AI arms race The President’s warning comes amid heightening competition between nations to dominate the emerging technology. Rahman cautioned that an unregulated "arms race for control of AI" could lead to catastrophic consequences, stating that the current lack of international oversight threatens to push global stability "over the precipice." This urgent appeal was triggered by the opening of the 81st UNGA session, where digital governance has emerged as a primary security concern. The UN is currently under pressure to establish a unified regulatory framework as private sector advancements continue to outstrip public policy development. Scientific oversight and next steps Rahman’s proposal shifts the focus toward multi-stakeholder governance, specifically demanding that scientific experts from outside political…