Governments must act now to manage AI for the public good

Governments must act now to manage AI for the public good

https://theelders.org/news/governments-must-act-now-manage-ai-public-good

Publish Date: 2026-03-27 08:00:00

Source Domain: theelders.org

• Call for Urgent AI Governance: A diverse group of AI leaders, Nobel prize winners, and former presidents and prime ministers join to call on governments worldwide to manage Artificial Intelligence with urgency, recognizing the growing governance gap and potential global crisis.

• Potential Benefits and Visible Harms: While AI innovation holds great promise in fields such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, the potential harms, including ethical and safety breaches, are already evident and are expanding rapidly.

• Three Urgencies Identified:

  1. Peace and Security: Premature integration of AI in military systems may lead to serious violations of international law and catastrophic risks such as biological, chemical, and nuclear threats.
  2. Rule of Law and Human Rights: AI systems are currently enabling mass surveillance, discrimination, erosion of civil liberties, political disinformation, and political mistrust.
  3. Environmental Sustainability: AI data centers are consuming a vast amount of electricity and depleting water reserves, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.

• Need for Inclusive Global Dialogue: It is essential to foster an inclusive global dialogue on AI governance that is rooted in scientific research, transparency, and accountability, with the United Nations playing a pivotal role.

• A Collective Responsibility to Change AI’s Trajectory: Governments and stakeholders must collectively work to reshape the path of AI to ensure it serves humanity’s interest, fostering a future that is safer, more peaceful, and prosperous for all.