The 1st session of the United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance opened on 6 July 2026 in Geneva, bringing together governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector, the technical community, civil society, and other stakeholders to advance global discussions on the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence.
The Dialogue aims to provide a platform for exchanging experiences, perspectives, and ongoing initiatives related to AI governance. Through inclusive discussions, participants will seek to strengthen mutual understanding, identify areas for cooperation, and promote greater coherence among existing governance efforts while respecting diverse national and regional priorities and approaches.
In his opening remarks António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General emphasized that AI could become the greatest equalizer of the 21st century. It is already transforming our world. The question is whether we will shape this transformation together or let it shape us.
Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance expressed his hope that the dialogue can spark a sort of San Francisco moment for AI and that one day AI would become part of the public good benefiting all of humanity.
Over the course of two days, participants will address key issues including the social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic, and technical implications of AI; bridging digital and AI divides through capacity-building and access to digital infrastructure; promoting safe, secure, and trustworthy AI; and ensuring transparency, accountability, human oversight, and respect for human rights in the development and deployment of AI systems.
Speaking during the multistakeholder discussion, the Global Cities Hub (GCH) welcomed the launch of the Dialogue and emphasized the importance of ensuring that local and regional governments are fully represented in global AI governance processes.
In its intervention, it stressed that cities and regions are increasingly at the forefront of deploying AI-enabled solutions in areas such as mobility, urban planning, public services, environmental management, healthcare, and citizen engagement. As the level of government closest to citizens, they also play a critical role in ensuring that technological innovation remains aligned with democratic values, human rights, and sustainable development objectives.
GCH Senior Policy Advisor Andras Szorenyi concluded with three recommendations:
- First, AI should not be deployed solely to maximize efficiency or technological performance. It should improve quality of life, strengthen social cohesion, promote cultural participation and enhance human well-being.
- Second, AI governance should be designed for resilience, not only optimization. Especially in urban environments, governance frameworks should strengthen the capacity of public institutions to respond to climate change, health emergencies, cyberattacks and other complex future challenges while ensuring continuity of essential public services.
- Third, local and regional governments should be recognized as a distinct governance actor alongside national governments, industry, academia and civil society. They should be systematically included in thematic consultations, policy discussions and evidence gathering on AI deployment and implementation.
Looking to the future, initiatives, such as the Mayors for Digital Cooperation (MDC), established by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Office of the Envoy on Technology and UN-Habitat, and the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative coordinated by ITU, UNECE, and UN-Habitat can facilitate the participation of LRGs in global AI discussions.
As cities continue to explore digital transformation, smart city development, AI applications, and emerging concepts such as AI-enabled citiverses, their practical experience offers valuable insights for policymakers working to develop effective governance frameworks.
The Global Cities Hub published the policy paper “The Transformative Power of the AI-enabled Citiverse” to facilitate the engagement of LRGs and city networks in global processes, such as the Global Dialogue.
The full text of the intervention – partially pronounced – can be read here.