UN convenes global leaders in Rome on AI, human development and dignity

A UN press release dated 11 September 2026 reports that the United Nations brought to Rome a mix of policymakers, technologists, scholars, faith leaders and development practitioners on 4 and 5 September. It was the fourth meeting in a worldwide series about the way artificial intelligence is changing human development and societies. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed led the convening, which the UN Office for Partnerships hosted at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Earlier editions took place in Cairo, Mexico City and Xi'an.

Three themes structured the discussion, covering AI in relation to human civilization, human development and human dignity. Participants considered AI's implications for education, creativity, trust, social cohesion, human relationships, democracy and the information ecosystem, including misinformation and disinformation. They also asked how governance, ethics and public institutions might keep up with rapid technological change.

According to the release, participants observed that numerous AI systems fall short of representing the world's language, culture and knowledge diversity, and they called for fair access and for AI to be built around human rights. Faith leaders contributed long-standing perspectives on human worth, moral responsibility and what makes a life good. Mohammed said machines are now able to speak with people, teach them and imitate human reasoning, and she cited Secretary-General António Guterres's principle that technology must serve people.

The series moves from region to region and will conclude at the United Nations during the 81st session of the General Assembly. It is tied to the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, which the release calls the Secretary-General's. For 2027, the initiative is to widen into community-based conversations led by countries, ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit.