This July, Geneva will host the first-ever Global Dialogue on AI Governance, a forum established by the United Nations to bring together governments, scientists, and stakeholders to discuss the opportunities, risks, and impacts of artificial intelligence. It is the most significant multilateral moment on AI since the adoption of the Global Digital Compact in September 2024. This series, "Countdown to the Global Dialogue on AI Governance," covers what is happening at the UN ahead of the forum in Geneva this July.
The Global Dialogue on AI Governance is the product of a commitment made in the Global Digital Compact, a framework for digital cooperation. The Compact set out a roadmap for how the international community would approach AI governance, and the Geneva Dialogue is its first dedicated forum.
Key takeaway: The GDC is non-binding, which means member states are committed to its principles without a legal obligation to enforce them. Its first formal review is scheduled for 2027.
The Compact's objectives call for AI development to prioritize applications in healthcare, the environment, and education. And it established the two mechanisms: the Global Dialogue on AI Governance itself, and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. The Global Dialogue on AI Governance serves as a discussion forum. It will receive the AI Scientific Panel's first annual report and provide a platform for member states and stakeholders to respond to its findings. No binding resolutions and regulations will be adopted.
In July 2025, the White House released Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, built around three pillars: accelerating AI innovation, building AI infrastructure, and leading in international AI diplomacy and security. On the international dimension, the Action Plan directs the Departments of Commerce and State to leverage the U.S. position in the United Nations, OECD, G7, G20, and other international bodies to encourage standard-setting that promotes innovation. The U.S. AI Action Plan explicitly identifies multilateral participation as a pillar of American AI strategy.
The Geneva Dialogue is three months away. The editions that follow will examine what the UN system has built in response to AI, including the scientific body tasked with assessing its risks and opportunities, and the technical standards that guide its development. Each piece is part of what arrives in Geneva this July.
