The president of the UN General Assembly on Monday urged governments and technology companies not to wait for a global governance framework before acting to protect children from the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that the international community is "not quick enough to protect our children."

Speaking after the opening of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Annalena Baerbock said governments, companies and international organizations should move ahead with safeguards rather than wait for all 193 UN member states to agree on a common framework.

"We don't have to wait until the next global dialogue in one year's time. We don't have to wait to set up a global governance structure that all 193 member states agree in common," she said.

Recalling remarks by a teenager from Rwanda during a genocide prevention event, Baerbock warned that social media platforms can be misused to prepare future genocides.

She said governments and technology companies should not hide behind claims of neutrality when AI and online platforms are used to spread misinformation or incite violence.

"Inaction also means taking a side," she said, arguing that safeguards should be guided by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Baerbock added that countries acting together can help shape AI governance before a global framework is agreed, just as cross-regional coalitions have advanced action on climate change and human rights.

Co-chair of the dialogue, Egriselda Lopez, said the inaugural dialogue showed that "an inclusive and universal platform, as the United Nations, can make a difference, and it matters."

She said the first dialogue had given many member states and stakeholders an opportunity to contribute to AI governance discussions and expressed hope that the same inclusive approach would continue through the second dialogue in New York in 2027.

Her co-chair, Rein Tammsaar, said AI development is advancing faster than governments can respond but cautioned against slowing innovation.

"The risks are very real," he said, while emphasizing that governments should not "stop the innovation."

Tammsaar said the inaugural dialogue brought together more than 4,000 participants, generated over 1,500 written submissions and attracted representatives from 170 countries, calling it an effort to reduce fragmentation in global AI governance.

Baerbock also said a proposed UN AI fund is part of the broader UN80 reform process and will move into the organization's 81st session beginning in September.

"The fund won't be set up until September, so it moves in the 81st session of the United Nations," she said, adding that it was too early to discuss figures but that the priority was ensuring technology helps bridge, rather than deepen, the digital divide.

Guterres calls for AI child safety pledge
Earlier Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an AI Child Safety Pledge, saying children are being exposed to artificial intelligence before its risks are fully understood.

"We do not let medicine reach a child until it is proven safe. We test every toy, yet AI has reached our children, their learning, their friendships, their most private questions before anyone asked what it would do to them," he said.

Guterres urged governments and technology companies to tackle AI-enabled harms, including sexual deepfakes targeting women and girls.

"The global dialog is about civilian AI, but AI does not respect that line. The same models and chips have moved into the battlefield," he warned, describing those autonomous weapons as “killer robots.”

He added that while AI can inform decisions in justice, healthcare and policing, "humans must decide and answer."