Technology and Science · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Guterres Warns Rogue Artificial Agents at UN General Assembly as NYC Imposes No-Fly Zone
Guterres warns AI could go rogue; lethal autonomous weapons becoming military reality. UN General Assembly opens in New York as world leaders convene for high-level week.
Whether to foreground Guterres' critique or the event agenda.
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Anadolu Ajansı
“Nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend in person.”Read the original ↗
The Guardian foregrounds Guterres' despairing geopolitics and law argument, while Anadolu leads with the attendance and programme logistics.
AI and security at UNGA
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned at the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly that “humans are increasingly handing power to machines,” and he said “artificial agents [are] going rogue and lethal autonomous weapons going from science fiction to military reality.” Andrew Holcomb of the Secret Service said drones provide crucial situational awareness, adding, “We like to have eyes on the outer perimeters to see what might coming towards us.” New York City braced for heightened security, with counter-drone teams and a temporary no fly zone in a 2-mile radius around the U.N. that includes part of the East River.
The Secret Service said it has a multi-layered security plan for VIPs from nearly 200 countries gathering in one place, and it described a plan to disrupt communication between a drone pilot’s control and the aircraft. Guterres also framed the week’s stakes as four tests of power, including the power unleashed by artificial intelligence, as world leaders arrived for the high-level General Debate.
Gridlock and street closures
New York City’s Department of Transportation kept the city under Gridlock Alert during the UN General Assembly, with the alert in effect through Friday and traffic expected to be at its slowest and most congested.
CBS News New York reported that a trip along 57th Street ran at roughly 3 mph, and it quoted a release saying Midtown speeds during UN General Assembly week were “less than four miles per hour.”
The city announced street closures in Midtown, including First Avenue closed from 41st to 48th streets and 44th to 47th streets closed between First and Second avenues daily.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said First Avenue would be closed between 41st and 48th Streets from Sunday through Sept. 26, and she said the 42nd Street exit of the FDR Drive would be blocked off.
The MTA recommended using the subways during the General Assembly as it would likely be the fastest way to get around New York City.
Climate, energy, and AI
Scientist Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, said, “We've gone from seeing the fingerprints of climate change in individual events to seeing the handprint of climate change on the whole world.” The ABC7 New York report tied the UN General Assembly week to rising attention on artificial intelligence and data centers, alongside higher fossil fuel prices from wars in Iran and Ukraine. Guterres warned that the fault lines in the world are widening, and he said “Cracks have become canyons,” as he opened the General Assembly speeches.
The Guardian described Guterres’ final general assembly address as warning that “Military power alone cannot secure peace,” while “technological power alone cannot commend stability.” TThe Guardian also quoted Guterres saying the world faces “an extraordinary transfer of power away from governments to a handful of private corporations and individuals,” as AI accelerates and energy and climate pressures mount.T