Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the high-level briefing on the maintenance of international peace and security, artificial intelligence

Thank you Mr. President.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing.

I also thank Mr. LeCun and Dr Li for sharing their perspectives. 

Slovenia considers it important that the voice of all, including those from the private sector and academia who are the engines of fast development and change, are heard in our deliberations on digital and emerging technologies.

Mr. President,

The magnitude of the artificial intelligence revolution is evident not only in its impact on our social fabric, our economies, science, and, increasingly, warfare, but also in the parallel efforts to establish effective governance.

With two consensually adopted General Assembly resolutions on AI and the adoption of the Global Digital Compact earlier this year, the United Nations has recognized its unique convening power and taken the lead in the global conversation on AI governance, alongside various other initiatives.

Moreover, important work within the UN is underway regarding the establishment of a Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

And rightly so. AI governance is becoming increasingly essential to global stability and requires inclusive multilateral engagement at all levels, including within the Security Council.

Mr. President,

As the Secretary-General has noted, artificial intelligence represents both the greatest opportunity and at the same time an existential threat.

When it comes to global stability, AI can, on one hand, be harnessed positively for example to support efforts for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

On the other hand, AI can enable complex, cross-border threats such as cyber operations, disinformation campaigns, violent extremist content and terrorist propaganda.

It can be used to fuel the proliferation of autonomous weapons, further complicating efforts to ensure oversight and accountability.

Therefore, we strongly believe that the Council’s primary role in maintaining international peace and security necessitates addressing AI-related risks, to ensure that AI is designed, developed, deployed and used in full compliance with international law, in particular international humanitarian and human rights law.

Mr. President,

The risks are not speculative or distant; they are a reality in contemporary conflicts, such as Gaza, where reports indicate that artificial intelligence is being used as a tool to identify targets, particularly in densely populated residential areas, resulting in significant civilian casualties. 

In this regard, we advocate for the integration of AI-related discussions into the Council, including through briefings like this one, to ensure that Members pay attention and provide responses to these risks within existing Council mandates, as well as other geographic and thematic issues.

By fostering synergies to strengthen AI governance for international peace and security, we reaffirm the Council’s complementary role in supporting the efforts pursued in the General Assembly and other fora engaged in AI governance.  

I thank you Mr. President.

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