As artificial intelligence continues to advance rapidly, governments around the world are increasingly debating how powerful AI systems should be developed, tested and governed.
Now, 20 countries and the European Union have called for stronger international cooperation to ensure that advanced AI remains under human direction, oversight and control. The countries have also proposed exploring the creation of a new international institution dedicated to AI oversight.
Countries Push for Common Global AI Standards
The joint declaration calls on governments and technology companies to take action to ensure that AI is developed and used in accordance with international law.
Among its key proposals are the development and coordination of common AI standards, greater transparency and the sharing of information about serious AI safety incidents between countries.
The declaration also emphasizes that AI should remain under human direction, oversight and control, particularly as increasingly capable frontier AI systems are developed.
Proposal for an International AI Oversight Institution
One of the most significant proposals is the exploration of a new international institution for advanced AI governance.
According to the declaration, such an institution could help set standards, enable verification and bring countries together when AI systems reach specified capability thresholds. The proposal is intended to strengthen international coordination rather than leave AI safety standards entirely to individual countries or companies.
The declaration also calls on AI companies to establish transparent safety protocols, including pre-deployment testing and independent evaluations, so that advanced systems can be assessed before they are released.
Who Signed the Declaration?
The declaration was endorsed by representatives from countries including Germany, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Türkiye, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The initiative was released ahead of the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, where AI governance and emerging technology risks are expected to remain major international discussion topics.
United States and China Are Not Part of the Initiative
The United States and China, two of the world's major AI powers, did not endorse the declaration. The United Kingdom, France, India, Japan and South Korea were also not among the signatories listed in reports on the initiative. The declaration remains open for additional endorsements.
Their absence is significant because the global AI landscape is strongly influenced by competition among major technology powers. Creating international AI standards will therefore require cooperation across countries with different technological, economic and strategic interests.
AI Safety Debate Is Growing Worldwide
The declaration comes amid an increasingly active debate over the risks associated with rapidly advancing AI systems.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently called for the pace of frontier AI development to slow so that safety measures can keep up. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk subsequently expressed support for greater caution around the development of increasingly powerful AI systems.
OpenAI has also called for the United States to lead international efforts to develop technical standards for advanced AI.
Meanwhile, a UN-backed Independent International Scientific Panel on AI has called attention to weaknesses in existing safeguards following a reported AI-related cyber incident involving Hugging Face. The panel's intervention has added further attention to the need for stronger safety mechanisms and independent evaluation.
Can AI Development and Global Safety Move Together?
The latest declaration reflects a growing effort to address AI risks through international coordination rather than relying only on individual national policies.
The proposed approach focuses on common standards, independent testing, incident reporting, verification and continued human oversight.
However, establishing a truly global AI governance framework would require cooperation between countries with very different approaches to technology, regulation, and strategic competition.
As AI capabilities continue to advance, the question is no longer only how quickly the technology can develop, but also how governments and companies can ensure that its development remains safe, transparent and under meaningful human control.
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