Artificial intelligence emerges as a defining theme of Saturday's UN General Assembly debate

26 September 2026

Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the defining themes on Day 5 of the UN General Assembly's high-level debate on Saturday, 26 September 2026. Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan described AI as "the most urgent frontier" and said "Human beings must remain in control and accountable." Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan said the Global South "cannot simply become a destination for data centres" while decisions on AI are made elsewhere. Moldova's Prime Minister Vasile Tofan warned that technology is moving faster than regulation almost everywhere. Zambia's Foreign Minister Mulambo Hamakuni Haimbe said that by 2050 one in every four young people worldwide will be African.