Singapore on September 27 proposed exploring a United Nations framework convention on AI safeguards at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said common rules are needed as governments confront risks from autonomous systems, AI-enabled biological weapons or other weapons of mass destruction or disruption, and broader economic, social, and political upheaval.

Balakrishnan said the UN’s universal membership makes it the best-placed body to bring countries together on AI rules.

He said governments could begin with scientific cooperation, shared testing and evaluation methods, and cross-border reporting of serious AI incidents, while ensuring all countries have a meaningful role.

Balakrishnan said Singapore supports continued investment in AI alongside safeguards such as rigorous testing before deployment, limits on autonomous systems, and mechanisms for human intervention.

He added that people must remain in control and accountable.

The proposal would sit alongside an existing UN track on autonomous weapons, where talks have drawn calls for formal negotiations, and where 156 states backed a UN General Assembly resolution in 2025.

🔗 Source: CNA

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