Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for stronger international measures to manage the risks associated with artificial intelligence, stressing that humans must retain control over AI systems and that access to the technology should not be concentrated among a small group of countries or entities.
Dar made the remarks while speaking at a high-level United Nations Security Council briefing on “Artificial Intelligence and International Security” in New York on September 23. Pakistan’s Foreign Office had earlier confirmed that Dar would represent the country at the Security Council briefing during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The Security Council meeting focused on the opportunities and risks associated with rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, including its implications for international peace and security. The UN said the discussion brought together political leaders, AI experts and executives from major technology companies.
Dar calls for human control over AI
Dar stressed that human judgment and control should remain central at every stage of AI design, development and deployment.
He called for a comprehensive international framework to govern artificial intelligence and address risks linked to its misuse.
According to Dar, AI can create challenges including the spread of fake news, cyberattacks and the increasing use of advanced technology in military applications.
He also warned against allowing artificial intelligence to become another area of global military competition.
Dar called for restraint and confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of miscalculation, particularly as AI-assisted technologies could shorten decision-making timelines during military crises.
The UN Security Council’s September 23 meeting specifically examined artificial intelligence in the context of maintaining international peace and security.
Pakistan opposes AI monopoly
Dar also raised concerns about the possibility of AI governance becoming a form of technological gatekeeping.
He argued that measures introduced to improve AI safety should not be used to deny countries access to the benefits of the technology.
Instead, he called for more equitable access to artificial intelligence and greater international cooperation so that developing countries can also benefit from technological advances.
Dar said discussions on AI governance should take place through representative and inclusive international forums with universal participation under the United Nations.
Pakistan’s position, as outlined by Dar, links AI governance with broader questions of international cooperation, development and equitable access.
Concerns over AI and military applications
The Pakistani foreign minister also highlighted the potential security implications of increasingly advanced AI systems.
He warned against the militarisation of artificial intelligence and called for international efforts to reduce the risks associated with AI-enabled military technologies.
The concerns raised at the Security Council extend beyond conventional military applications. The UN briefing also examined the broader risks of increasingly capable AI systems and the need for international governance mechanisms.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has separately called for binding international cooperation on AI governance and warned that life-and-death decisions should not be handed over to machines.
The Security Council briefing also featured contributions from leading figures in the AI sector, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue, alongside AI expert Yoshua Bengio.
Fake news and cyberattacks among key risks
Dar identified misinformation and cyberattacks as important areas requiring international attention.
Artificial intelligence can be used to generate and distribute misleading content at scale, while AI-enabled tools can also contribute to increasingly sophisticated cyber operations.
The discussion at the Security Council comes as governments and technology companies continue to debate how advanced AI should be governed while allowing beneficial applications to develop.
The UN has described the rapid development of AI as presenting both significant opportunities and potentially serious risks to international peace and security.
Pakistan seeks wider AI cooperation
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for international cooperation on artificial intelligence and efforts to bridge differences in access to the technology.
He also welcomed international initiatives focused on developing common approaches to AI governance and highlighted Pakistan’s participation in multilateral discussions on responsible AI.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office had identified the Security Council briefing as one of Dar’s engagements during his programme for the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.
Dar’s remarks placed emphasis on three broad areas: maintaining human oversight of AI, ensuring that AI governance remains inclusive, and preventing advanced technology from becoming a source of greater international security risks.
The Security Council discussion reflects the growing role of artificial intelligence in international security debates as governments consider how to address the technology’s risks while preserving its potential benefits.
Also read: Ishaq Dar Arrives in Istanbul for Official Engagements
