The United Nations General Assembly approved a 40-member global scientific panel to study AI impacts and risks, with a vote of 117 in favor, two against (the United States and Paraguay), and four abstentions (Tunisia and Ukraine).

The panel’s diverse membership spans disciplines beyond computer science and includes Nobel laureate Maria Ressa, with a multi-year, rigorous selection process guiding a three-year term for members.

Its remit is to provide independent, globally representative scientific guidance on AI governance, economic effects, and social implications for all member states.

Among the appointed experts is Anna Korhonen, a Professor at Cambridge who leads the Centre for Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence and co-directs the Institute for Technology and Humanity.

Korhonen, a University of Cambridge academic, emphasizes responsible, human-centered AI and sustainable development in her work.

Korhonen welcomed the appointment as aligned with her ongoing efforts toward responsible AI and sustainable outcomes.

The panel embodies a dynamic tension between Silicon Valley’s fast-paced innovation and a cautious, standards-driven international approach that could shape how quickly products ship versus how rigorously they are governed.

The panel’s annual risk assessments are expected to influence safety standards and regulatory norms for AI features in everyday devices, including facial recognition, AI-generated content transparency, and other governance aspects.

The panel’s creation comes amid rising excitement and concerns about AI’s impact across medicine, transportation, and education, underscoring the need for coordinated global policy guidance.

Its mandate includes producing actionable recommendations within the three-year term to address issues like privacy, surveillance, job displacement, and potential misuse by states or actors.

The panel is slated to release its first report ahead of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in July.

Representatives come from all five UN regions, encompassing academia, industry, civil society, government, and the technical community, ensuring broad expertise in safety, policy, ethics, and impact.