Artificial intelligence is emerging as both a catalyst for sustainable development and a growing challenge for global governance, according to Stephen Jackson, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. Speaking during the Zhongguancun Dialogue on AI Cooperation in Beijing, Jackson discussed the opportunities and risks surrounding AI adoption, emphasizing the need for international collaboration, responsible governance, and broader access to AI technologies for developing economies.

His remarks come as governments worldwide debate AI regulation, infrastructure investment, export controls, and international standards amid rapid advances in generative AI and machine learning.

Artificial intelligence has become one of the defining technologies shaping global economic competitiveness, public services, and scientific innovation. As governments and international organizations seek to establish governance frameworks for rapidly evolving AI systems, the United Nations is positioning itself as a platform for international dialogue on responsible AI development.

During the Zhongguancun Dialogue on AI Cooperation in Beijing, Stephen Jackson, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, outlined how AI could accelerate progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while cautioning that unequal access, governance gaps, and environmental impacts could widen existing global disparities.

Jackson described China’s pace of technological development as striking, citing demonstrations of AI-powered medical robotics, digital cultural preservation, and real-time generative AI applications during a visit to Beijing’s Zhongguancun innovation hub.

“The technological advances are remarkable,” Jackson said, adding that such rapid innovation also increases the urgency of establishing governance frameworks covering AI safety, ethics, legal accountability, and risk management.

AI adoption presents opportunities—and governance challenges

According to Jackson, AI’s potential extends across nearly every Sustainable Development Goal, including healthcare, education, climate resilience, agriculture, disaster response, and poverty reduction.

However, he identified three major risks accompanying accelerated AI adoption.

The first is the widening international digital divide, where countries with advanced AI infrastructure continue to outpace developing economies with limited computing resources and connectivity.

The second involves domestic inequality, as billions of people worldwide still lack reliable internet access or smartphones, limiting their ability to benefit from AI-enabled services.

The third challenge relates to sustainability. AI model training and inference require significant computing power, contributing to rising electricity consumption and increasing pressure on energy infrastructure unless paired with broader investments in renewable energy.

These concerns mirror broader debates taking place across international organizations, regulators, and technology companies as generative AI adoption accelerates.

The UN’s evolving role in global AI governance

Jackson said the United Nations has two primary responsibilities regarding artificial intelligence.

The first is facilitating international discussions on AI governance, ethics, and regulatory cooperation among its 193 member states. The second is helping ensure that technological advances reach countries with fewer resources by promoting international collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Rather than focusing solely on regulation, the UN increasingly views AI as an enabling technology capable of supporting sustainable development when deployed responsibly.

Examples include disaster management, food security, healthcare delivery, and education initiatives where AI-supported technologies can improve decision-making and operational efficiency.

China seeks a larger role in international AI cooperation

The interview also explored China’s efforts to expand its participation in global AI governance discussions.

Jackson noted that China remains actively engaged in multilateral cooperation on science and technology despite increasing geopolitical tensions surrounding AI development.

He said China has demonstrated interest in balancing technological innovation with broader objectives such as sustainability, inclusion, and risk management.

The discussion referenced China’s Global Development Initiative and other international cooperation proposals, with Jackson suggesting they could contribute to renewed multilateral dialogue. These remarks reflect his perspective during the interview and are part of broader international discussions about global governance.

China has also expanded cooperation with developing economies through initiatives involving digital infrastructure, satellite technologies, and AI-enabled public services.

AI applications increasingly support sustainable development

One example highlighted during the discussion involved humanitarian disaster response.

Jackson cited the use of Chinese satellite imagery combined with AI analysis following a recent earthquake in Venezuela, where rapid mapping reportedly helped humanitarian organizations assess damage and coordinate relief efforts more quickly.

AI-assisted geospatial analysis has become an increasingly important tool for emergency response worldwide, enabling governments and aid organizations to process satellite imagery within hours instead of days.

Beyond disaster management, AI technologies are also being deployed across agriculture, environmental monitoring, disease surveillance, and climate resilience projects in developing regions.

Export controls remain a point of global debate

The interview also addressed restrictions imposed by several countries on exports of advanced AI technologies and semiconductor chips.

Without referring to specific governments, Jackson expressed concern that barriers to technology sharing could slow progress toward sustainable development, particularly for emerging economies seeking to build digital capabilities.

Export controls on advanced semiconductors have become a significant geopolitical issue as governments balance national security considerations with international technology collaboration.

For many developing countries, limited access to advanced computing infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles to adopting AI at scale.

Enterprise implications

For enterprise organizations, the broader message extends beyond geopolitics.

Companies deploying AI increasingly operate in an environment shaped by evolving regulatory requirements, cross-border technology policies, cybersecurity expectations, and responsible AI standards.

Organizations investing in enterprise AI will likely need to prioritize governance, transparency, explainability, and interoperability alongside innovation.

Research from McKinsey & Company indicates that generative AI could contribute trillions of dollars in annual economic value across industries, while Gartner forecasts continued enterprise investment in AI platforms, governance tools, and intelligent automation as organizations move from experimentation to production-scale deployment.

As AI becomes foundational to digital transformation strategies, international cooperation around standards, infrastructure, and responsible deployment is expected to remain a central issue for governments, technology companies, and multilateral organizations alike.

Market Landscape

Global AI governance is entering a period of rapid evolution as governments, technology companies, and international organizations seek common standards for safety, transparency, and innovation. Major AI ecosystems led by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and other technology providers continue to invest heavily in foundation models and AI infrastructure, while regulators worldwide explore frameworks addressing security, privacy, intellectual property, and ethical deployment. International cooperation remains a key challenge as countries balance economic competitiveness with responsible AI development.

Top Insights

• The United Nations views AI as both a driver of sustainable development and a technology requiring stronger international governance, ethical standards, and global cooperation.
• Stephen Jackson identified digital inequality, environmental sustainability, and governance as the three major challenges accompanying rapid AI adoption worldwide.
• China continues expanding its participation in international AI collaboration through multilateral initiatives, technology partnerships, and support for AI applications in developing economies.
• AI applications in disaster response, healthcare, education, and agriculture are increasingly supporting Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in emerging markets.
• Enterprise AI adoption is becoming closely linked with governance, transparency, explainability, and regulatory compliance as organizations deploy AI at scale.

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