New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- The future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) cannot be decided by a handful of countries, or left to the whims of a few billionaires, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, said on Thursday at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. That the first such summit is being held in the Global South "brings this conversation closer to the realities shaping much of the world", he said during his address. The United Nations, on its part, has taken decisive steps to provide a platform to the private sector, academia and civil society from all countries part of the UN, including creating an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, and launching a Global Dialogue on AI Governance. "We need guardrails that preserve human agency, human oversight - and human accountability. The first session of the dialogue in Geneva in July will give every country, and every stakeholder, a voice," Guterres said, adding that such a dialogue will align efforts, uphold human rights, prevent misuse and advance common safety measures. He also called for the need of a global AI fund with a target of $3 billion to make the benefits of AI accessible to all. "AI must be accessible to everyone. This is why...I am calling for a global fund on AI to build basic capacity in developing countries," he said. The fund will focus on skill-building, collecting data, affordable computing power, and inclusive ecosystems. "Our target is $3 billion. That's less than one per cent of the annual revenue of a single tech company. A small price for AI diffusion that benefits all - including the businesses building AI," he said. Guterres said that UN member states have also responded to his call to form a Global Network for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building in the developing world. "AI must benefit everyone. Done right, AI can advance sustainable development goals. Accelerate breakthroughs in medicine; expand learning opportunities; bolster climate action and disaster preparedness, and improve access to vital public services. But it can also deepen inequality, amplify bias, and fuel harm," Guterres added....