This was the conclusion reached by the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, established by the UN General Assembly, which presented the first-ever global scientific report on the opportunities, risks, and consequences of AI development.
The report was presented at the AI for Good Global Summit 2026, held July 7–10 in Geneva.
The First Global Scientific Assessment of Artificial Intelligence
The document, spanning more than 200 pages, became the first independent scientific assessment of artificial intelligence prepared under a UN mandate. It was authored by 40 scientists and experts from all five regions of the world, appointed by the General Assembly for a three-year term. It was co-chaired by one of the most authoritative AI researchers, Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa.
The group’s main task was not to develop regulatory rules, but to establish the common scientific foundation necessary for decision-making in the field of artificial intelligence. The report is intended to serve as the basis for an international dialogue on AI governance and subsequent annual UN reviews, the document notes.
Key conclusion: Technology is advancing faster than control mechanisms
The report’s most important point is stated with utmost clarity: existing safety mechanisms can no longer keep pace with the development of artificial intelligence. According to the authors, governments are making strategic decisions in a rapidly changing technological environment, where scientific data emerges later than new generations of models.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres summed up the problem in a single sentence: “The world cannot manage what it does not understand.”
That is precisely why, he emphasized, states need an independent scientific source of information, free from the commercial interests of individual companies or the political positions of individual countries.
The authors note that today, safety assessments of cutting-edge models are largely based on data provided by the developers themselves, while most countries lack their own tools for independent verification.
The Economy at the Center of the Analysis
Unlike many previous discussions, the new report considers artificial intelligence not only as a technology but also as a factor in the global economy.
A separate chapter is devoted to the impact of AI on labor productivity, employment, international competitiveness, and the development of science, healthcare, education, and agriculture. At the same time, experts warn of the risk of increasing economic inequality between countries.
Today, the development of the most powerful models is concentrated in a limited number of countries and large technology corporations. Without developing their own computing infrastructure, data, and workforce, many countries risk becoming mere consumers of technology, with virtually no influence on its further development.
“AI alone will not resolve these differences. The benefits go to places where institutions, skills, and data already exist. Where these are lacking, the same technology can displace workers, increase inequality, and make communities dependent on systems created without their input. This report is the first to address a common scientific language. “These realities have now been officially confirmed, independently verified, and cannot be set aside,” noted Amandeep Singh Gill, Deputy Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and New Technologies, at the summit.
For developing economies, this conclusion is of particular significance. The issue is no longer merely the adoption of artificial intelligence, but also the ability to maintain technological sovereignty amid the rapid concentration of computing resources.
Seven Areas That Will Shape Global Policy
The authors structured their study around seven key areas:
– the development of artificial intelligence technologies;
– the application of AI in science, medicine, education, and agriculture;
– economic implications;
– system security and resilience;
– human rights, information, and democracy;
– impact on culture, society, and children;
– governance, reliability, and international regulation.
This approach demonstrates that artificial intelligence is no longer merely an industry-specific technology. It is becoming a factor in economic policy, national security, and international relations.
Why This Is Important for Europe and Moldova
The report’s publication coincided with the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, held in Geneva. Its goal is to establish common principles for international cooperation in the field of AI.
For the European Union, the document served as further confirmation of its commitment to regulating artificial intelligence following the adoption of the AI Act. For candidate countries, including the Republic of Moldova, it is of practical interest: the expert group’s recommendations can serve as a guide for developing national policies, establishing risk assessment mechanisms, and aligning legislation with European requirements.
In essence, a new global system for governing AI is beginning to take shape, similar to those that exist for climate change, nuclear safety, or public health. The only difference is that the pace of AI development is significantly faster than the pace of developing international rules.
The UN’s first scientific report does not offer ready-made policy solutions. Its purpose is to establish a common factual basis that governments can rely on when developing national and international regulations.
However, it is precisely such documents that often serve as a starting point for the formation of new international institutions.
If the authors’ predictions prove accurate, the coming years may become a period in which competition among nations for leadership in the field of artificial intelligence is accompanied not only by a technological race but also by a struggle for the right to shape global rules governing the use of AI.
