RABAT / Anadolu

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Friday that artificial intelligence could lead to further inequalities in the world and widen the gap between the north and south.

This came in a speech he delivered at the World AI Conference 2026 and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, held in Shanghai, eastern China, from July 17 to 20, according to a post on the American platform X.

Guterres said, 'AI threatens to push the world toward greater inequalities, exacerbating gaps in income, opportunity, and security, and widening the divide between north and south.'

He noted that the United Nations cannot allow that to happen.

Guterres stressed the need for technology that will shape the future to be developed with the participation of all humanity.

He added, 'A small number of countries or companies cannot control the technology.'

The UN chief emphasized the importance of every country having a role in decision-making.

Despite the significant benefits of AI, experts warn of its potential consequences in the absence of regulations, which has led to growing interest in AI ethics and governance frameworks internationally.

China is the world's fiercest competitor to the United States in the field of artificial intelligence.

Its strategy focuses on leading the new global order in this sector by reducing model operating costs, building open-source software systems, and rapidly expanding in robotics and physical AI.

The value of China's core AI market exceeds $177 billion, and the country has more than 6,200 active companies in this field, according to what the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced in March 2026.