United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for independent investigations and meaningful change following the admission of mistakes by the Israeli government in the killing of seven aid workers. Guterres emphasized that the focus should be on addressing the military procedures that allow such mistakes to occur repeatedly.
In a statement delivered in New York, Guterres highlighted the need for fixing failures through thorough investigations and tangible improvements on the ground. He expressed concern over the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Israeli military's bombing campaign, particularly in target identification.
Guterres voiced deep unease at reports suggesting that AI was employed in decision-making processes that impact entire families. He cautioned against delegating life-and-death decisions to algorithms, stressing the importance of human agency in such critical matters.
The UN chief underscored the potential dangers of weaponizing AI and warned against diminishing the essential role of human judgment. He advocated for the responsible use of AI as a force for good, emphasizing its potential to benefit society rather than contributing to large-scale warfare and blurring lines of accountability.