US and Europe split over AI governance at UN

AI safety has become a major issue at the United Nations General Assembly after US President Donald Trump’s controversial address, with governments debating whether rapid advances require stronger public oversight. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged safeguards against machines making life-or-death decisions, linking the concern to autonomous weapons and “killer robots.” The Security Council is expected to examine concrete oversight options with sector leaders.

Washington is rejecting binding international rules. Trump argued that “artificial intelligence” understates the technology and suggested “Super Intelligence,” while comparing safety warnings to past climate change controversies. His administration frames global governance proposals as constraints that could limit innovation, even as he acknowledged scenarios in which robots could pose threats.

Europe is moving in the opposite direction, with more than twenty countries, mostly European, backing binding safety rules for advanced AI. China and the United States have not supported the proposal. The United Kingdom plans to pursue global standards during its G20 presidency in 2027, while France is calling for European technological autonomy and shared investment in an advanced open-source model independent of US or Chinese dominance.