UN and ITU to Host Global AI Dialogue in 2026

The United Nations (UN) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are set to hold a global dialogue on the social and economic realities influenced by artificial intelligence (AI) on July 6-7, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. This initiative comes as AI has gained significant global attention over the past three and a half years, with countries divided on its implications, particularly concerning job displacement and the need for rapid policy-making.

The dialogue aims to bring together governments, industry, academia, civil society, and international organizations to address the challenges posed by AI. Egriselda López, the Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the UN in New York, and Rein Tammsaar, the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN in New York, will co-chair the event.

The dialogue will focus on four thematic clusters: AI opportunities and impacts, capacity building, governance approaches, and human oversight. The event is part of a comprehensive digital week in Geneva and aims to ensure that human judgment remains central to AI solutions.