Filipina Nobel Laureate, Canadian Tech Pioneer Named to UN’s AI Panel
UNITED NATIONS — In a significant move towards addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI), Maria Ressa, a journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate from the Philippines, along with Yoshua Bengio, a Canadian pioneer in the field of AI, have been selected as part of a 40-member panel announced by UN officials on Wednesday.
Panel Composition and Objectives
The panel, consisting of independent experts, is set to serve for a duration of three years. Among other notable members are:
- Joelle Barral, a French national and senior director for research and engineering at Google’s DeepMind.
- Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, an Ethiopian principal research scientist at Microsoft, focusing on the application of AI in sustainability, humanitarian work, and health.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated, “It will be the first global, fully independent scientific body dedicated to helping close the AI knowledge gap and assess the real impacts of AI across economies and societies.”
Mission and Structure
This initiative aims to establish a body akin to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, focusing on AI. The panel was established by the UN General Assembly in August 2025. Guterres emphasized that all members will operate in their personal capacities, independent of any government, company, or institution.
Expertise and Impact
The diversity of expertise within the panel spans various fields, including:
- Machine Learning
- Data Governance
- Cybersecurity
- Public Health
- Child Development
- Human Rights
The panel’s inaugural report is anticipated to be released in time for the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance scheduled for July.
