Multi-Stakeholder Multilateralism for

Human Centered Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Burak
Akçapar

Ambassador

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to
the UN Office at Geneva and the Conference on Disarmament

Keynote Remarks at the 3rd UNAOC Dialogue on AI for #OneHumanity:
Human Centered Artificial Intelligence

Palais des Nations, Geneva

Honorable Minister Albares,

Honorable High Representative Moratinos,

Distinguished Dr. Bonet Ferrer,

Excellencies, Esteemed Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is both an honor and a responsibility to address you today at this pivotal moment in history — a moment defined by breathtaking technological advancement, rising geopolitical complexity, challenges to multilateralism, and mounting demands for ethical global leadership.

Let me first thank the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Onuart Foundation for convening this timely Dialogue.

Nearly two decades ago, Türkiye and Spain launched the UNAOC to confront growing intolerance and polarization.
Today, as artificial intelligence redefines the boundaries of possibility, the Alliance’s founding values — dialogue, inclusion, diversity, and solidarity — are not only relevant; they are indispensable.

Around the world, we are witnessing a resurgence of intolerance— from rising Islamophobia and xenophobia to violent expressions of religious hatred and discrimination — all of which threaten the fabric of our shared humanity.

At a time when algorithmscan and do amplify division, when digital platforms can and do intensify cultural misunderstandings, and when rapid technological change threatens to outpace our moral frameworks, the UNAOC offers something essential: a global platform rooted in mutual respect, intercultural understanding, and the conviction that peace is built not just through treaties and competitive negotiation, but through empathy.

As we enter the age of AI, these values wait to be asserted — not as abstract ideals, but as practical foundations for guiding the
technologies that are reshaping our societies, our relationships, and our verysense of humanity.

We now live in a world where AI is not a distant innovation. It is here — in our classrooms and hospitals, our courtrooms and factories, our
devices and policies. It is shaping how we learn, how we heal, how we govern — and even how we perceive truth.

I myself experience the strain and the opportunity as I try to keepabreast of the technological surge and put it to use in my own work. Yet, the speed of progress is daunting and there is already a snowball effect.

Eric Schmidt, a leading voice on AI, recently made a striking prediction: that Artificial General Intelligence — a system as intelligent as the most capable human scientists, artists, and policymakers — could arrive within five years. Not decades, but just 5 years.

This may be speculative. But it is not fiction. This is the trajectorywe are on — driven by breakthroughs in reasoning, memory, agent-based models, and text-to-action capabilities. Schmidt has warned that while AI could be the most important technology in human history, we are developing it far faster than we are governing it. And thatis a risk we cannot afford to take!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The question is not whetherAI will transform our world. The question is how, and for whom.

Will AI bridge divides — or deepen them?

Will it empower the many — or entrench the privilege of the few?

Will it serve peace — or become a new theater of conflict?

My realistic side thinks it knows the answers. My idealistic side hasanother vision. I know however that there is no room for pessimism nor
optimism. Instead, this is a time of action.

On her part Türkiye seeks to ensure that the answers to these questions reflect our collective values, not our collective fears. As the Chair of the G20, Türkiye had already placed inclusive growth and just development at the heart of her presidency — both within nations and across the global system. This principle of inclusivity must also guide the AI revolution.

Because the digital divideis not just between North and South. It exists within societies — between urban and rural, rich and poor, connected and disconnected. If left unaddressed, AI shallwiden existing inequalities — creating a world of digital elites and digital castaways; a world of new dissent and conflict.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is the flip side.

AI can be a powerful tool for development — enabling climate adaptation, expanding access to education, accelerating healthcare delivery, and improving governance. Human centric development is possible through a human centric AI. The potential is extraordinary — but only if the benefits are shared and the risks are collectively managed.This is why we believe strongly in the role of international cooperation.

Türkiye co-sponsored UN General Assembly Resolution 78/311 to enhance global capacity-building in AI. We support the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, and we actively participate in the Global Partnershipon Artificial Intelligence.

Domestically, Türkiye adopted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2021 — one of the earliest frameworks of its kind, grounded in democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law.

And we are proud to host the UN Technology Bank in Türkiye, which plays a critical role in helping Least Developed Countries build digital capacity. Strengthening this institution is vital if we are to close the technology gap, pursue equity, and ensure that no country is left behind.

But we must also confront the darker side of AI’s rapid proliferation

Artificial Intelligence is already being weaponized — not only in the traditional military sense, but in cyberspace, and increasingly, in the information ecosystem. Deepfake propaganda, disinformation campaigns, and algorithmic manipulation of public opinion all pose grave threats to human rights, peace, and security.

The cyber realm is becoming a contested battlefield — where state and non-state actors alike exploit AI to target critical infrastructure, stoke societal division, and undermine democratic institutions.

If we do not act with urgency and unity, we risk normalizing a future where AI-enabled tools are used to destabilize rather than empower.

That is why Türkiye believes global dialogue must now extend beyond governments and international organizations.

We promptly need deeper, more structured and sustained engagement with the private sector — particularly the companies designing, deploying, and profiting from frontier AI systems.

Market forces are essential to the development of AI. However, AI development cannot be left to market forces alone. Nor can ethics be outsourced to voluntary pledges. We must establish effective mechanisms so that industry innovation is guided by public interest, human
mights, and the collective wellbeing of humanity in addition to profitability.

This includes, among others:

• Greater transparency in how AI systems are trained and deployed;
• Joint platforms for safety testing and independent evaluation;
• Investment in public-interest AI applications, particularly in low- and middle-income countries;
• And inclusive participation from civil society, academia, and underrepresented communities in shaping the rules
  of the road.

These are easier said than done.

We commend the UN Secretary-General’s initiatives, including the Global Digital Compact and the High-Level Advisory Body on AI. These efforts reflect a growing consensus that the world needs shared norms, commonprinciples, and a multilateral governance architecture for AI — much like we have in climate or health and in pursuing all this effective mechanisms to provide science-based, policy-relevant guidance for governments navigating the AI era. I see this as the new incubator for human centric, multistakeholder and effective multilateralism.

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,

What can we do so that AI does not become a force of division, a vector for exploitation or control, another theater where inequality and
injustice are replicated this time through code?

The first step is to recognize that there is an alternative path. As President Erdoğan always underlines: a fairer world is possible.

((We the peoples of the United Nations can and we must work together — across borders and across sectors — to build an AI future that reflects the best of our humanity, not the worst of our instincts.

We the peoples of the United Nations can and we must ensure that technology is shaped by our shared values — not our fears, and certainly not by the unchecked ambitions of a few.))

Today’s Dialogue can be more than another conversation. Let it be a commitment — to ensure that the next chapter of human history is written with wisdom, not haste; with equity, not exclusion; with courage, not complacency.

Because we are not just coding machines. We are facing the duty to code the soul of our civilization, the future of humanity.

And it is hence our responsibility to ensure that what we build serves peace, dignity, and hope.

Thank you.