Former Colombian President Warns UN on AI and Drone Threats

Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos is urging world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to address the dangers of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons. He plans to participate in a demonstration showing how drones can be used for both good and lethal purposes, a technology he says is empowering organized crime globally.

Santos chairs The Elders, a group of former leaders focused on four key global threats: nuclear weapons, climate change, pandemics, and artificial intelligence. He argues that AI is "getting out of control" and requires immediate international principles, particularly needing agreement between the United States and China.

The Growing Threat of Autonomous Weapons

Juan Manuel Santos points to drone technology as a major and growing security threat, not only in his home country of Colombia but across Latin America and Africa. He states that organized crime groups are now using drones more effectively than many governments. A planned demonstration at the UN will illustrate this dual-use nature, with a drone programmed to either award him a prize or shoot him based on recognition software.

This concern comes as the UN Security Council holds a meeting dedicated to AI. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned against a "race to the bottom on AI safety," calling for guardrails to ensure AI is safe, transparent, and accountable with human dignity.

Geopolitical Hurdles to Regulation

The push for global AI governance faces significant geopolitical obstacles. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed skepticism about slowing AI development and previously dismissed climate change as a hoax in a UN speech. Chinese President Xi Jinping is absent from this year's General Assembly, instead planning a meeting with Trump in Washington later in the week.

Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group notes that while the UN could be a forum for regulation, the creation of a new international AI agency is unlikely in the near term. He predicts, however, that as the technology accelerates and as the risks associated with the technology become more obvious, you will see more pressure from more countries for international agreements.

A Call to Rescue UN Cooperation

Santos describes the United Nations as being at an inflection point, fragmented by global conflicts and divisions. He emphasizes the need to rescue the principles of cooperation that led to the UN's creation eighty years ago. Despite the challenges, he reports hearing from a growing number of countries that recognize the necessity of cooperation, with the UN remaining a key venue for dialogue on these existential threats. The annual high-level debate continues with side events focused on these interconnected global challenges.