Russia warns of an AI ‘arms race’
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy UN envoy, has cautioned that technological competition without adequate safeguards “could jeopardize humanity’s existence.”
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, has cautioned that the swift progress of artificial intelligence coupled with escalating global competition in this domain poses an existential danger to humanity.
Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on AI on Wednesday, Polyansky advocated for the implementation of safeguards and regulations as more nations accelerate their development of the technology.
He stated, ”An AI race – the ambition to outpace geopolitical rivals by rapidly advancing a technology that remains incompletely understood or controlled, without sufficient AI safety measures for all stakeholders – could, much like an arms race, imperil humanity’s very existence.” He further noted, “These technologies introduce substantial risks and are evolving into a new factor capable of impacting the stability of the entire international relations system.”
Polyansky also warned that AI tools could manipulate public opinion and election results through the dissemination of news and false information on social media, in addition to potentially disrupting critical infrastructure.
Polyansky suggested it was premature to escalate the issue to the Security Council but pressed for debate in inclusive forums, adding that Russia would endorse a UN-led role in AI governance.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated these concerns during the briefing, cautioning that while AI can contribute to addressing food insecurity, de-mining, and conflict prevention, “without guardrails, it can also be weaponized.” He highlighted that the General Assembly established two new AI bodies last month – a global forum and an expert panel – to facilitate governance and cooperation.
The launch of ChatGPT three years ago ignited an AI boom, drawing billions in investment into the sector. Public documents indicate that Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet have spent tens of billions of dollars this year and project investments exceeding $400 billion by 2026. Experts caution that this surge could create a bubble and precipitate a financial crisis, while others contend that the technology itself poses existential threats – from engineered pandemics to rogue AIs – in the absence of stringent safeguards.