On 18 August 2025, the United Nations General Assembly released draft resolution A/79/L.118 entitled Terms of reference and modalities for the establishment and functioning of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance. This text represents a significant milestone in shaping international governance on artificial intelligence within the UN framework. It builds upon General Assembly resolution 79/1 of 22 September 2024 (The Pact for the Future) and its annex, the Global Digital Compact, aiming to establish permanent, inclusive, and scientifically independent mechanisms to guide the development of AI. The full text of the draft resolution is available here.
The draft resolution calls for the creation, within the United Nations, of an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence composed of forty experts appointed in their personal capacity for a three-year term. The selection will follow an open call launched by the Secretary-General, based on transparent criteria ensuring geographical balance, multidisciplinary expertise, and full scientific independence. Members will be required to disclose any financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest and may not be affiliated with the UN system, thereby preserving the Panel’s autonomy.
The Panel’s primary mandate will be to produce an annual, non-prescriptive report providing states and stakeholders with authoritative insights on the scientific developments, risks, opportunities, and impacts of artificial intelligence in civilian applications. When necessary, the report may be supplemented by thematic briefs. Panel members will elect two co-chairs – one from a developed country and one from a developing country – and may establish ad hoc working groups for specific issues. The Panel’s findings will be presented to the General Assembly during interactive dialogues and at the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.
The draft resolution also establishes a Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, an annual platform open to UN Member States and non-governmental stakeholders. This forum will address key topics such as the safety, security, and trustworthiness of AI systems, the reduction of technological divides, the protection of human rights, transparency and accountability of operators, and the promotion of open-source software, data, and AI models.
The Dialogue will be held on the margins of major UN or international events, alternating between New York and Geneva, featuring a high-level intergovernmental session, the presentation of the Panel’s annual report, and thematic discussions. The first edition is scheduled for 2025, under the co-chairmanship of representatives from a developed and a developing country. The conclusions of subsequent editions will feed into intergovernmental consultations leading to the revision of the Global Digital Compact at the General Assembly’s eighty-second session.
The draft resolution foresees logistical support from the UN Secretariat within existing resources and encourages voluntary contributions from states, the private sector, financial institutions, and foundations, particularly to ensure the participation of developing countries. It further calls for the work of the Panel and the Dialogue to be coordinated with relevant UN agencies, funds, and programmes, to enhance overall coherence and capacity-building efforts in the field of artificial intelligence.
Through this initiative, the United Nations General Assembly aims to establish permanent scientific and deliberative mechanisms to guide the global development of artificial intelligence within a multilateral, inclusive, and expertise-driven framework, thereby maximizing its benefits while anticipating its risks for peace, security, fundamental rights, and sustainable development.
