United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a global commitment to protect children from the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that the technology is advancing faster than governments can regulate or oversee it.
Speaking at the opening of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on Monday, Guterres said AI systems designed for children should undergo independent safety testing before being introduced to the public.
Comparing AI to medicines and children’s toys, Guterres said, “We would never give children medicine that had not been proven safe, and every toy is tested before reaching the market. Yet artificial intelligence is already shaping children’s education, friendships and private lives before we have fully understood its impact.”
The UN chief proposed three key measures to strengthen child protection: mandatory independent safety assessments for AI systems affecting children, decisive action against AI-generated child sexual abuse material, and mechanisms to ensure vulnerable children can be connected to real human support when needed.
“When a child is harmed, the answer can never be that an algorithm did it,” Guterres said, urging governments to develop coordinated international regulations for the development and use of artificial intelligence.
His remarks come as concerns continue to grow over the misuse of AI to manipulate children, encourage self-harm, generate child sexual abuse material and facilitate other forms of online exploitation. Experts increasingly warn that keeping laws and regulatory frameworks aligned with the rapid pace of AI development has become one of the world’s most urgent policy challenges.
