The heads of Anthropic and OpenAI will address the United Nations Security Council today, presenting calls to slow the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Their intervention aims to raise international awareness of the risks posed by rapidly advancing AI systems and the dangers of an accelerating development race.
Superpower interests and international prospects
The initiative faces competing strategic interests: major powers primarily view AI through the lens of strategic competition rather than shared restraint. Analysts say it is unlikely that Washington and Beijing will reach a broad agreement today to constrain the technology, given military, economic, and regulatory differences between the two countries.
UK G20 presidency and other international efforts
Other states are attempting to advance safety-focused approaches. The United Kingdom plans to center its G20 presidency on AI safety, seeking to promote greater coordination among member states and to encourage international cooperation on risk management and governance.
Diverging public perceptions across regions
The issue is dividing public opinion internationally. A Google executive told Semafor that countries in the Global South are generally more optimistic about AI than Western nations. New research from Gallup also reveals a growing gap between countries in how citizens expect AI will affect their nations—whether it will be beneficial or harmful.
Why this matters
A briefing at the UN Security Council brings political weight to calls for a slowdown, but geopolitical competition and divergent national priorities make binding, wide-ranging agreements difficult. Progress through the G20 and other multilateral forums could help develop shared norms and regulatory cooperation, but outcomes will depend on political will and the positions of governments, industry, and publics.
Prashant Rao
