The secretary general of the United Nations Antonio Guterres has said that he supports the idea of an international artificial intelligence (AI) watchdog, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

As reported by Reuters, the former Portuguese prime minister said he will set up a high-level AI advisory body of scientists and experts from UN agencies which will review AI governance and offer recommendations on how they fit in with human rights.

"Alarm bells over the latest form of artificial intelligence – generative AI – are deafening. And they are loudest from the developers who designed it," Guterres said. "We must take those warnings seriously."

He added that an AI watchdog could only be created by the member states and not by the Secretariat of the UN.

The UK government recently announced plans to hold a global AI summit in the autumn. It will look at developing an international framework to ensure the safe and reliable development and use of AI. Guterres has said that he supports the plans for the summit, adding that “serious work” needs to be done in preparation.

Earlier this week, the chief executive of ChatGPT operator OpenAI Sam Altman said he is “quite optimistic” about global coordination over AI.

Several organisations have expressed concern over the use of AI or proposed regulation.

EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager recently called for the AI industry to adopt a voluntary code of conduct whilst regulation is being developed.

The European Commission proposed legislation for AI last year, but critics have argued that it does not go far enough. Around 42 German organisations representing more than 140,000 creative workers have stated they want tougher protection over copyright from ChatGPT and said that the technology needs to be “at the centre of meaningful AI market regulation.

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