GENEVA: The world must urgently come together to develop a global framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI), said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union (ITU), warning that fragmented strategies could intensify existing global inequalities and technological risks.
In an interview with AFP, Bogdan-Martin emphasized the need for international cooperation in AI governance, noting the rapid pace of AI development has outstripped regulation and could lead to unintended consequences. “There’s an urgency to try to get the right framework in place,” she said. “The need for a global approach is critical.”
Her remarks come amid starkly different regulatory paths taken by major global powers. The European Union has passed a risk-based AI Act, while China maintains a centralized, state-driven model. In contrast, former U.S. President Donald Trump recently unveiled a strategy advocating sweeping deregulation to keep American AI development ahead of China’s.
While Bogdan-Martin refrained from commenting directly on the U.S. proposal, she stressed the importance of dialogue among differing regulatory models. “We have the EU approach, the Chinese approach, and now the US approach. What’s needed is for those approaches to dialogue,” she said.
She noted with concern that 85 percent of countries still lack any AI policy or strategy, and without inclusive international cooperation, AI risks becoming a driver of inequality rather than progress. “We have 2.6 billion people who still have no internet access — meaning they have no access to artificial intelligence,” she said. “We must tackle those divides if AI is to benefit all of humanity.”
Bogdan-Martin also raised alarms about the potential for AI to deepen the digital divide if wealthier nations and corporations move ahead without safeguards or inclusive strategies. “AI shouldn’t stand for advancing inequalities,” she warned.
A veteran of the ITU with over three decades of experience, Bogdan-Martin said the Geneva-based agency — which sets global standards for emerging technologies — is uniquely positioned to lead these conversations and help build consensus.
She also highlighted the gender gap in AI and the tech sector more broadly. “We definitely don’t have enough women in artificial intelligence,” she said, calling for more inclusive digital policies and capacity building for women and underrepresented communities.
Bogdan-Martin, the first woman to lead the ITU in its 159-year history, said it was an honor to “break the glass ceiling,” though acknowledged it came with high expectations. Backed by the U.S. for a second term, she said she is eager to continue the work. “There’s a lot to do,” she said.
Comment