New York, Jan. 22 (Petra) – United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres highlighted two profound and emerging threats requiring global attention and action, warning they could upend life as we know it: the climate crisis and the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence (AI).

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Guterres stated, “I recently came across an analysis revealing a grim paradox. Rising sea levels will engulf 13 of the world’s largest ports for supertankers,” adding, “Our addiction to fossil fuels is like a Frankenstein monster, sparing no one and nothing.”

He warned that 2024 is likely to become the first calendar year with an average global temperature exceeding 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels. Surpassing this threshold underscores the urgency of intensified efforts to return to sustainable pathways.

Regarding AI, Guterres acknowledged its immense potential for humanity while cautioning against significant risks, particularly if left unregulated.

“Artificial intelligence could be a tool for deception, disrupt economies and labor markets, erode trust in institutions, create chilling effects on battlefields, and deepen inequalities by excluding those without the resources or tools to harness its capabilities,” he warned.

Guterres pointed to the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN last September as a roadmap for harnessing the potential of digital technology and closing digital divides. He emphasized the need for a shared global vision of AI that ensures the technology serves humanity rather than controls it.

He called for leveraging AI to support development, social progress, and economic advancement for all. This includes investments in affordable internet access, digital literacy, and infrastructure enabling every nation to unlock AI’s potential.

//Petra// AF
22/01/2025 21:56:45