UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned against the weaponization of new domains and technologies, and urged the peaceful and responsible use of technological advances.
In a video message to the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, Guterres said advances in science and technology hold immense potential for humanity, but when used for military purposes, “the potential risks abound.”
Welcoming the Advisory Board’s newly launched two-year strategic examination of the international peace and security risks emanating from advances in science and technology, Guterres said these advances are also changing the face of global weaponry and the nature of conflict itself.
“The looming nightmare of lethal autonomous weapons; the emerging risks of the weaponization of outer space, the 3D printing of guns, and the integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear weapons systems; malicious cyber activity targeting civilian infrastructure; and artificial intelligence systems expanding without guardrails,” he explained.
The New Agenda for Peace calls for preventing the weaponization of new domains and technologies, and ensuring the peaceful and responsible use of technological advances, the UN chief stressed.
The Summit of the Future in September will be an opportunity for the world to identify solutions for the use and governance of technology and breakthroughs like artificial intelligence, Guterres said, adding that “let’s work together to place science and technology where it belongs: at the heart of a sustainable and peaceful future for all.”
The Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters was established in 1978, to advise the UN secretary-general on matters within the area of arms limitation and disarmament, to serve as the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, and to advice the UN chief on the implementation of the United Nations Disarmament Information Program.
The Advisory Board holds two sessions a year, alternating between New York and Geneva.
