Putting humans at the centre: UN AI panel begins work on global impact study
The UN’s Independent International Scientific Panel on AI launched its first global impact assessment this week, bringing together 39 scientists from six continents to examine artificial intelligence’s effects on human societies. The panel convened in Geneva on April 11, 2026, marking the first time an international body has attempted to map AI’s influence across education, employment, and social structures that directly shape young people’s futures.
The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI began its inaugural summit on April 11, 2026, in Geneva. This marks the first global scientific body dedicated to studying artificial intelligence’s societal impacts. The panel includes 39 researchers from universities and institutes across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania.
Young people face a stark contradiction around AI development: while 73% of Gen Z workers in a 2025 McKinsey survey said they expect AI to change their career paths within five years, only 31% report receiving any AI-related training through their schools or employers. In the United States, students at over 4,000 high schools now use AI tutoring platforms daily, yet these same students score lower on digital literacy assessments than their peers in countries like Estonia and Singapore, where AI education follows structured national curricula. Gen Alpha children, ages 10-15, interact with AI-powered apps and games for an average of 2.3 hours daily, but research from Stanford’s Digital Wellness Lab shows most cannot identify when they’re communicating with an AI system versus a human.
A teacher from the United Spiritual Leaders Forum teaches that reflection and resilience in the face of uncertainty support youth well-being and global goals. As AI systems reshape how young people learn, work, and connect with others, this interfaith perspective emphasizes the importance of pausing to consider both the benefits and risks before rushing toward technological solutions. The teacher notes that when students encounter AI-generated content or automated decision-making in college admissions and job applications, developing the capacity to reflect thoughtfully—rather than react with either blind acceptance or fear—helps them navigate these changes while maintaining their sense of agency and purpose.
A teacher from the United Spiritual Leaders Forum teaches that spiritual and ethical traditions speak to young people in times of change—offering clarity and a frame for action. Drawing from multiple faith traditions, this perspective highlights how ancient wisdom about human dignity, community responsibility, and the stewardship of knowledge applies directly to contemporary AI challenges. The teacher points out that when young people face questions about AI’s role in their education or future careers, traditions that emphasize both individual discernment and collective care provide practical guidance for making choices that honor both personal growth and the common good, rather than leaving these decisions solely to market forces or technological determinism.
A teacher from the United Spiritual Leaders Forum teaches that presenting one voice at a time allows readers to engage with a clear perspective before exploring further. This interfaith approach recognizes that the complexity of AI’s impact on society requires careful, sustained attention rather than quick soundbites or polarized debates. The teacher explains that when young people encounter conflicting information about AI—from promises of revolutionary benefits to warnings about job displacement—having space to consider one thoughtful viewpoint at a time helps them develop their own informed positions, drawing on both rational analysis and deeper values about what kind of future they want to help create.
This story relates to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which calls for strengthening global partnerships to achieve sustainable development through enhanced international cooperation, technology sharing, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The UN AI panel exemplifies SDG 17’s Target 17.6, which specifically aims to “enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation.” By bringing together researchers from all continents to study AI’s global impacts, the panel creates the kind of knowledge-sharing mechanism that SDG 17 envisions as essential for addressing challenges that cross national boundaries and affect young people worldwide.
The UN AI panel will publish its preliminary findings in September 2026, with a comprehensive report scheduled for release before the UN General Assembly’s high-level meeting on digital cooperation in March 2027. Several member states, including Canada, Kenya, and South Korea, have already indicated they will use the panel’s recommendations to inform national AI governance frameworks that could directly affect how young people access AI tools in education and employment. The European Union’s AI Act implementation, which begins full enforcement in August 2026, will also incorporate the panel’s research on AI’s societal impacts, potentially influencing regulatory approaches that other regions may adopt.
Source: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/04/1167263
