Original Source: https://unsceb.org/united-nations-system-white-paper-ai-governance 

Download here: UNSystemWhitePaperAIGovernance.pdf

The world is undergoing a profound technological transformation marked by rapid digitalization and the widespread deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). AI holds significant potential to foster inclusivity, reduce inequalities, accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and strengthen the operations of the United Nations (UN) system. Yet realizing these benefits requires careful attention to ethical considerations—safeguarding data privacy, mitigating bias, and ensuring transparency and accountability in decision-making. It is therefore essential to seize the opportunities AI offers while proactively addressing its risks and potential harms.

In this context, the United Nations System White Paper on AI Governance was developed following the Joint Session of the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) and the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) on the use and governance of AI and related technologies in October 2023.

Prepared by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Artificial Intelligence—under the leadership of UNESCO and ITU—the White Paper examines the UN system’s institutional models, functions, and the existing international normative frameworks relevant to global AI governance. It is presented as a system-wide contribution to ongoing deliberations on AI governance, including the work of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body on AI. The White Paper was endorsed by HLCP at its 47th session and subsequently approved by the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).