German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told the UN General Assembly that the United Nations must take a lead role in ensuring AI develops safely and in service of human dignity. He called for agreed global safety standards for the most powerful AI models, mandatory pre-release testing, and reporting of serious flaws backed by national and regional oversight. Wadephul also urged industry responsibility and repeated demands for broad UN institutional reform amid concerns over the organisation's credibility.
Germany Urges UN To Lead On Global AI Safety Rules At General Assembly
German Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul speaks at a session of the UN General Assembly at the United Nations. (is associated with: «Germany pushes UN for shared AI safety rules at General Assembly») Michael Kappeler/dpa
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged the United Nations to take stronger responsibility for ensuring artificial intelligence is developed safely and in service of human dignity during an address to the UN General Assembly in New York.
"AI is not waiting for our institutions to catch up. Our institutions have to catch up with AI,"
Speaking on behalf of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Wadephul said the need to act was urgent because AI systems are already reshaping the foundations of societies. He called for a multilateral framework that gives all nations a voice in how technological progress is governed.
Concrete Safety Measures
Wadephul urged UN member states to agree on common safety standards for the most powerful AI models. He proposed mandatory pre-release testing, obligations for providers to report serious safety flaws, and effective national and regional oversight to enforce those rules.
He also pressed the private sector to accept responsibility for the downstream impacts of AI development—particularly where technology could affect world peace and international security.
UN Leadership and Credibility
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has pushed for a central UN role in coordinating AI governance. Wadephul warned, however, that the organisation's credibility has been weakened by its struggles to maintain peace and security, which in turn challenges its authority to shape new global rules.
Wadephul repeated his call for far-reaching institutional reforms at the UN. Invoking a seafaring metaphor, he urged states to either risk letting the shared "boat" capsize or to pool their strength to steady it and chart a new, peaceful course for future generations.
"How we address AI together is one of the clearest tests whether we have the strength and the will to build a United Nations for today's world,"
Throughout his remarks Wadephul emphasized a consistent principle: power must be tied to responsibility, and technological progress must uphold human dignity.
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