AI’s rapid rise could pose existential danger to humanity, UN rights chief warns

According to The Nation, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned the UN Human Rights Council on Monday that artificial intelligence could pose an “existential threat to humanity,” urging immediate global action.

Türk said AI development remains concentrated among a small number of powerful individuals and companies, criticizing tech firms for framing data exploitation as “freedom.” He specifically warned that AI systems “escaping” testing environments or resisting shutdown attempts posed dangerous risks, referencing recent industry safety incidents involving autonomous agents.

Türk announced plans to write to AI companies urging risk reduction and called for internationally agreed “red lines” on AI development, alongside independent safety verification and stronger industry collaboration on security measures.