United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems could pose an existential threat to humanity if governments and technology companies fail to establish effective safeguards.
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Speaking on Monday at the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk said humanity was confronting unfamiliar and potentially unprecedented risks arising from the rapid development of AI.
He argued that while the need for AI governance had become widely recognised, concrete international action remained inadequate.
“The need for AI governance is widely acknowledged, but where is the action?” Türk asked, warning that delays could disproportionately benefit powerful technology companies and their owners.
The UN rights chief also expressed concern about the concentration of control over advanced AI systems in the hands of a relatively small number of technology executives and companies.
“A handful of men have almost unlimited power over AI, which we are repeatedly told has unimaginable computing capacity,” he said.
Türk argued that debates framed around technological freedom should also take account of the ability of companies to collect and exploit vast quantities of personal data.
“They talk about freedom, but on closer inspection, this turns out to be little more than the freedom to exploit our data,” he said.
He warned that systems capable of behaving unpredictably during safety testing or attempting to resist shutdown should be treated as evidence that stronger controls are urgently required.
“AI that escapes its testing environment or blackmails developers to prevent itself from being turned off is AI that is too powerful,” he said.
Türk said reported incidents involving advanced AI agents during testing had reinforced concerns among researchers, industry insiders and regulators about the risks posed by increasingly autonomous systems.
“I share the concerns of industry insiders that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity,” he said.
He consequently called for an “all-out effort” to establish robust safeguards around AI safety and security before the technology develops beyond effective human control.
“I am calling here, today, for an all-out effort to put cast-iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI, before it is too late,” Türk said.
The UN rights chief disclosed that he would write to major AI companies in the coming days, urging them to take immediate measures within their control to reduce identified risks.
He also called for countries that host major AI developers, as well as states involved in the technology’s global supply chains, to agree on clear boundaries that advanced AI systems must not be permitted to cross.
“At a minimum, we need countries hosting AI and those involved in its supply chains to come together around agreed red lines,” he said.
Türk further advocated independent verification of AI safety claims and stronger cooperation among technology companies on security issues.
“We need independent verification, and much stronger collaboration on security within the industry,” he said.
Beyond catastrophic-risk concerns, the UN official said governments must also confront the immediate human-rights consequences of artificial intelligence.
He identified employment practices, democratic institutions, privacy and environmental impacts among areas requiring greater scrutiny as AI becomes increasingly embedded in economic and public life.
“We also need to consider the human rights impacts of AI on employment practices, on fundamental principles of democracy, and on our environment,” he said.
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