UN Rights Chief Urges Stronger Safeguards as AI Risks Grow
“We are on the cusp of irreversible change, affecting not just us but generations of humanity to come,” Turk said in a letter directed at governments and companies developing AI technologies.
He warned that the rapid competition to build more capable systems is increasing “greater existential risks.” He also highlighted potential dangers linked to agentic AI, which can perform tasks with limited human oversight, saying failures could interrupt vital services, communications and critical infrastructure while also putting democratic institutions under pressure.
“Entire populations could be cut off from clean water, heating, and financial services,” Turk said, warning that AI is already contributing to the acceleration of warfare and weakening protections designed to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction.
According to Turk, AI-related risks are no longer merely theoretical. He pointed to the increasing use of automation in essential services, extensive data gathering and surveillance, as well as the spread of disinformation generated or amplified through AI.
“AI harms are not hypothetical — they are already occurring, front and centre,” he said.
The UN rights chief called for governments and leading AI companies to work toward shared safety requirements, carry out continuous assessments of the technology's impact on human rights and establish independent systems to monitor compliance and emerging risks.
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