Thursday’s India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi featured a keynote from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that cut through the hype surrounding AI. He warned of inherent risks while championing its capacity for profound good.
Central to his thesis: AI should empower, not erode, human talent. Strategic investments in workers will ensure technology serves as a multiplier for capabilities.
Guterres implored stakeholders to confront AI’s broader implications. ‘Impactful AI betters existence and preserves our world,’ he asserted, advocating default dignity in design for universal access.
Sustainability demands attention as AI’s energy and water needs escalate. Transitioning data centers to green power protects fragile communities from fallout, Guterres emphasized.
Safety protocols must be ironclad against manipulation and harm. Addressing child safety amid social media controversies, he prohibited using kids as AI test subjects.
To prevent a divided AI era, Guterres proposed a $3 billion global fund for foundational capacities—skills, data, compute power, ecosystems. This tiny levy versus tech revenues (e.g., Microsoft’s $305 billion) benefits all, including innovators.
AI could exacerbate divides and prejudices, yet righteously applied, it unlocks unparalleled human elevation. Guterres leaves Delhi with a blueprint for equitable advancement.