UN Opens First Global AI Governance Dialogue in Geneva
By Suad Seferi ·
GENEVA — The United Nations opened its first Global Dialogue on AI Governance on Monday, bringing governments, technology companies, researchers and civil society into a new global debate over who should shape the rules for artificial intelligence. The talks come as AI systems move deeper into public services, education, healthcare, media, security and the economy, while many governments are still trying to catch up with the speed of the technology. A broader vision for AI governanceThe message from the UN was clear: AI governance should not be written only by powerful countries and major technology companies. “AI is advancing at runaway speed. The question is whether we will govern it together, or let it govern us,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. “For the first time, the AI Dialogue gives every country a seat at the table.” The Dialogue was mandated by the UN General Assembly as a recurring platform where member states and stakeholders can exchange national experiences, discuss risks and build common approaches to AI governance. Safety, cooperation and the capacity divideIn Geneva, discussions are focusing on AI safety, accountability, human oversight, international cooperation and the widening gap between countries with advanced AI capacity and those still building digital infrastructure. That divide is becoming one of the central issues in global AI policy. While some countries are investing heavily in compute power, AI labs and regulation, others are still working on basic digital public infrastructure, skills development and institutional capacity. According to UNESCO, the process follows months of consultations involving governments, civil society, academia, the private sector and the technical community. More than 1,500 written submissions were received from organisations and individuals across regional groups. The UN says AI is already being governed through national regulations, technical standards, procurement frameworks and bilateral agreements, but not equally. Governance frameworks have largely been shaped by countries with advanced AI sectors, while many countries most exposed to AI’s consequences have had less influence over how those rules are designed. The Dialogue also follows the preliminary report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, a 40-member expert group co-chaired by Yoshua Bengio and Maria Ressa. The panel warned that current safeguards are struggling to keep pace with the growth of AI capabilities. Why the Balkans needs a voiceFor the Balkans, the Geneva talks matter because the region is still defining its place in the AI economy. Countries across Southeast Europe face the same questions now being discussed at UN level: how to regulate AI, how to protect citizens, how to support innovation, and how to avoid becoming only consumers of systems developed elsewhere. The challenge is not only legal. It is also practical. Smaller economies need stronger digital infrastructure, local expertise, public-sector capacity, regional cooperation and language inclusion if AI is to support development rather than deepen dependency on foreign platforms. From dialogue to real influenceFor Balkan governments, universities, civil society and AI communities, the signal from Geneva is clear: global AI governance is now being shaped, and smaller regions cannot afford to remain outside the conversation. The UN process will not immediately create binding global AI rules. But it could influence national AI strategies, procurement standards, safety expectations and future international cooperation. For the Balkans, that makes participation important not only as a diplomatic exercise, but as a strategic question: whether the region helps shape the future of AI governance, or simply adapts to rules written elsewhere.