The UN Secretary-General’s report on innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity building proposes a Global Fund for AI with an initial target of $1-3 billion. The fund aims to ensure all countries secure an “irreducible minimum capacity” across skills, compute, data, and models, alongside national AI strategy development and engagement with international collaboration.
The first session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, established by General Assembly Resolution A/RES/79/325, is scheduled for July 2026 in Geneva, co-facilitated by Estonia and El Salvador. The dialogue will bring together governments, civil society, industry, and academia to address knowledge and financing gaps in AI capacity building. A follow-up session is planned for the 2027 STI Forum in New York.
The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, appointed in 2026 with 40 members, represents the first global scientific body tasked with assessing AI’s impact on societies.
Who it affects: Developing countries and LDCs that currently lack AI infrastructure and skills capacity. The fund, if established, would provide the first dedicated multilateral financing mechanism for AI literacy and capacity building.
What is notably missing: The Global Fund is a proposal, not an established mechanism. No committed funding exists yet. The Global Dialogue is a coordination forum without decision-making authority. The July 2026 session will be the first — no outcomes or commitments have been produced. The Scientific Panel is advisory only.