AI Governance at UNGA81: Safety, Security and the North-South Divide
At the 81st UN General Assembly, AI governance emerged as a significant agenda item, with discussions centering on safety, security, and the divide between wealthier and developing nations over how artificial intelligence should be regulated globally.
Why this matters: Most AI governance debates happen inside rich countries, with rules shaped by the governments and companies that already lead the technology. Developing nations have different stakes. They are often subject to AI systems they did not build, governed by standards they had little say in writing. What gets decided at the UN level can set the frame for everything below it. If the global south does not have real weight in those conversations, the rules will reflect the priorities of whoever does.
Who should care: AI governance · Lawyers · Administrators · General readers · Policy
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