The United Nations has formally proposed the creation of its first fully independent scientific body dedicated to artificial intelligence governance.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres submitted to the General Assembly a list of 40 experts nominated to serve on the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The panel responds to a mandate in the Pact for the Future calling for stronger multilateral oversight of emerging technologies.
The proposed body would assess AI’s economic and societal impacts and address what the UN describes as a widening global knowledge gap. Members were selected from more than 2,600 applicants and span disciplines including machine learning, data governance, cybersecurity, public health, human rights and child development. All would serve in a personal capacity, independent of governments or corporations.
The panel is expected to operate on an accelerated timeline, with its first report due ahead of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance scheduled for July. That report is intended to provide a scientific baseline for intergovernmental discussions on guardrails, risk mitigation and capacity-building, particularly for developing economies.
Operational support will be provided by the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO, with coordination led by the Special Envoy Amandeep Gill.
Among the panel’s anticipated focus areas is the weaponization of AI, including its use in conflict settings. The Secretary-General said the body’s independence is intended to provide a neutral assessment of state-of-the-art capabilities and associated risks, creating a technical foundation for policy negotiations.
For enterprise stakeholders, the initiative signals a move toward more structured multilateral AI governance. While non-binding, the panel’s findings could influence future regulatory alignment, cross-border standards and risk frameworks affecting global AI deployment.