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STORY: CHINA / AI CONFERENCE GUTERRES
TRT: 04:00
SOURCE: COURTESY OF WAIC2026
RESTRICTIONS: CREDIT WAIC2026 ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 17 JULY 2026, SHANGHAI, CHINA
1. Various shots, opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping arriving
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Artificial intelligence can be humanity’s greatest opportunity in the 21st century. It could also become one of its greatest risks. As the Conference theme reminds us, a brighter future depends on partnerships. And I thank China for bringing us together in that spirit.”
3. Wide shot, audience
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Partnership is also at the centre of the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN General Assembly – with the full support of China. The Compact made it clear: Technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all humanity. It cannot be governed by a handful of countries or a handful of companies. Every nation needs a seat at the table.”
5. Wide shot, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking at WAIC2026
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“AI can help usher in a quantum leap across the Sustainable Development Goals. But it won’t happen if the historical injustices of the past are repeated in the technologies of the future. And yet one-third of humanity is still offline.”
7. Wide shot, audience
8. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Computing power, data resources and technical expertise remain concentrated. Hundreds of billions of dollars of private investment flood into artificial intelligence – while many developing countries receive just a trickle. AI risks pushing the world towards even greater inequalities … greater divides in income, in opportunity, in security … greater gaps between North and South. We cannot let that happen.”
9. Wide shot, audience
10. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
Developing countries bring enormous assets to the age of AI. Talent. Ideas. Young, dynamic populations. Every country should be able to shape this technology to its own needs: with its own skills, its own data, in its own languages.
11. Wide shot, audience
12. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations: Systems that cross borders need standards that cross borders. We need common approaches to testing, risk assessment, and responsibility. We need governance that is inclusive, networked, and anchored in international law. Human rights must be protected. Humans must keep control over every life-and-death decision. And no AI system should be put in a child’s hands before it has been proven safe.
13. Wide shot, audience
14. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations: AI can help speed the energy transition – managing grids, integrating renewables, cutting waste. But its growing demands for energy, water and land must be brought into the open. I call on every major AI company to disclose the full environmental footprint of their systems – and power them with renewables by 2030.
15. Wide shot, audience
16. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations: The defining question is not whether artificial intelligence will transform the world. It will. The defining question is whether that transformation will reduce inequalities or reinforce them. Whether it will concentrate power or expand opportunity. Whether it will bring the promise of progress for every country – or only to those already at the front of the pack. This is a test of technology – and a test of solidarity.
17. Wide shot, family photo
“Technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all humanity,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.
Guterres said today (17 Jul) that AI could be humanity's greatest opportunity of the 21st century - or one of its greatest risks. He thanked China for convening the gathering under a theme built on partnership.
The Global Digital Compact was proof that no handful of countries or companies should govern the technology's future, Guterres said, “Technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all humanity. It cannot be governed by a handful of countries or a handful of companies. Every nation needs a seat at the table.”
The UN chief warned, “AI can help usher in a quantum leap across the Sustainable Development Goals. But it won't happen if the historical injustices of the past are repeated in the technologies of the future. And yet one-third of humanity is still offline.”
He said, “Computing power, data resources and technical expertise remain concentrated. Hundreds of billions of dollars of private investment flood into artificial intelligence – while many developing countries receive just a trickle. AI risks pushing the world towards even greater inequalities … greater divides in income, in opportunity, in security … greater gaps between North and South. We cannot let that happen.”
Guterres said, “Developing countries bring enormous assets to the age of AI. Talent. Ideas. Young, dynamic populations. Every country should be able to shape this technology to its own needs: with its own skills, its own data, in its own languages.”
The UN chief called for governance anchored in international law, “Systems that cross borders need standards that cross borders. We need common approaches to testing, risk assessment, and responsibility. We need governance that is inclusive, networked, and anchored in international law. Human rights must be protected. Humans must keep control over every life-and-death decision. And no AI system should be put in a child's hands before it has been proven safe.”
He urged AI companies to come clean on their environmental impact, “AI can help speed the energy transition – managing grids, integrating renewables, cutting waste. But its growing demands for energy, water and land must be brought into the open. I call on every major AI company to disclose the full environmental footprint of their systems – and power them with renewables by 2030.”
Guterres closed by saying, “The defining question is not whether artificial intelligence w, “ill transform the world. It will. The defining question is whether that transformation will reduce inequalities or reinforce them. Whether it will concentrate power or expand opportunity. Whether it will bring the promise of progress for every country – or only to those already at the front of the pack. This is a test of technology – and a test of solidarity.”
