The E-Waste Column no. 207

Jul 22
3 min read

Today, we are looking at the UN’s AI for Good platform and summit, as well as the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

🌱 Are the burdens of AI shared equally?

The UN’s Secretary-General António Guterres has said that AI is “hungry for land, water and power” and that this burden is often placed “onto those least able to bear it”. In light of this, he called for the establishment of a $3 billion Global Fund “to ensure AI benefits all people and all countries, particularly the development ones” in February 2026.

🌱 Why is good governance needed according to the UN?

On 6 July 2026, Guterres said: “Some might claim that governance is the enemy of innovation. But innovation needs guardrails. The technologies we trust most — in aviation, in medicine, in nuclear energy and beyond — earned that trust because we acted to hold their makers to account. If AI is to be powerful, it must be governed. If AI is to be trusted, those who build it must be accountable. If AI is to be global, it must be fair. And if AI is to serve the future, it must not consume the future. That will require Governments to act with urgency, companies to accept responsibility equal to their power, [and] scientists to keep bringing evidence into the light”.

🌱 What is AI for Good?

AI for Good is a UN initiative on AI that was established in 2017 and looks to “unlock AI’s potential to serve humanity” by “[b]ringing stakeholders together to harness AI’s potential to solve global challenges”. It is organized by the International Telecommunication Union together with over 50 other UN agencies and the Swiss Government. Through its own multi-stakeholder community and platform, AI for Good aims to build skills, develop AI standards, and advance partnerships.

🌱 What was discussed at the 2026 AI for Good Summit?

The first AI for Good Global Summit was held in Geneva in 2017 and the event has been held annually since. The summit held on 7-10 July 2026 focused on “identify[ing] practical applications of [AI] to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and connect AI innovators with public and private sector decision makers to help scale AI solutions globally”. It “showcased the latest breakthroughs in AI innovation, showing how real-world solutions, skills development, and standards work together to translate into AI that works for all”.

🌱 What is the Global Dialogue on AI Governance?

The 2026 AI for Good Global Summit was held directly after the inaugural session of the UN General Assembly’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance, which brought country representatives together in Geneva on 5-6 July 2026 to create “inclusive international cooperation on AI”. The aim of the Global Dialogue is not only to regulate AI, but to find “a shared vision in which technological progress goes hand in hand with human dignity, equity, and sustainable development”. Amongst others, the inaugural dialogue explored “the opportunities and implications of this technology; how to bridge the AI divide; international cooperation on AI governance; and robust human oversight of AI systems, consistent with international law, to ensure safety and security”. It ultimately “emphasized science-based collaboration as the foundation for addressing challenges such as trust, equity, and accessibility”.