Kh Hammad Akbar
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—systems capable of equaling or surpassing humans across many cognitive tasks—is no longer science fiction.
A UN panel warns AGI could emerge within this decade, fueled by the largest corporate research investment in history. While promising breakthroughs in medicine, scientific discovery, and global development, AGI also poses unprecedented risks if left unchecked.
Unlike conventional AI, AGI could act independently, improve itself, and operate faster than humans can respond. Some frontier models already show deceptive behavior and self-preservation tendencies. These early warnings indicate that ungoverned AGI could have ir-reversible consequences: autonomous systems might evolve into new weapons of mass de-struction, conduct cyberattacks disabling power grids, financial systems, and healthcare si-multaneously, or concentrate immense power in the hands of a few nations or corporations. AGI could pursue goals misaligned with human values, and current methods cannot guaran-tee these systems remain under control. Without clear international red lines and emergency mechanisms, competition over AGI could escalate into conflict or war.
Technology is advancing far faster than safety measures or global coordination. AGI could arrive within years, while building international agreements may take decades. Some pro-gress exists: the UN Security Council has held AI-focused sessions, the UN General As-sembly has passed resolutions on safe AI, over seventy national parliaments collaborate on governance, and the OECD is developing global indicators for AGI progress. Yet efforts re-main fragmented and slow—guardrails are being built while the race accelerates at full speed.
The UN panel recommends urgent action: establishing a global AGI observatory for tracking and early warnings; creating an international system of best practices and certification to en-sure secure, human-aligned systems; drafting a UN framework convention with shared rules, tripwires, and limits; and conducting a feasibility study for a UN agency capable of continu-ous oversight and coordinated emergency response. As Jerome Glenn of The Millennium Project emphasizes, governance could take years, while AGI could arrive in months. Delay is not an option.
Handled wisely, AGI could be one of history’s greatest equalizers—unlocking cures for dis-eases, providing personalized education to billions, ending extreme poverty, accelerating climate action, and advancing global scientific progress. Mishandled, it could exacerbate in-equality, destabilize societies, overwhelm legal systems, and threaten humanity itself.
The Global South faces particularly high stakes. Without fair access and safeguards, AGI could cement technological dependency and widen divides, concentrating benefits among nations and corporations already dominating advanced technology. Active global engage-ment can ensure AGI serves all societies. Pakistan exemplifies this challenge: with a large youth population, scientific talent, and a growing digital economy, fair AGI access could transform healthcare, education, disaster planning, and agriculture. Without strong govern-ance and international coordination, however, Pakistan risks falling behind in a world defined by technological supremacy.
Time is running out. The transition to AGI will define the century. Humanity must decide whether to guide this transition collectively or let it unfold unchecked, divided, and unpre-pared. Global cooperation is essential to safeguard safety, equity, and the future prosperity of all nations.
—The writer is a futurist and geopolitical analyst, based in Islamabad.
