Guidance on staff use of was first issued to personnel in June 2023 and revised on 5 March 2025 as Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work. It designates an authorized enterprise chat solution for day-to-day work, directs staff away from unapproved tools for official tasks, and addresses confidentiality, personal data, verification, intellectual property, bias and human accountability. Alongside it, the CEB endorsed a system-wide framework for a model policy on the responsible use of and published a report on operational AI use across the system. This guidance sits below the level of a Secretary-General’s bulletin or administrative instruction; no such formal issuance dedicated to generative AI was located in the public policy repositories reviewed.
What this means for
Reading asOptional: it just picks which take you see first.
Just curious / new to AI
It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
Pick a role above and this becomes the reading for that desk: what it means, what to watch, and a line you can use.
Data & Digital
- So what
- A Secretariat baseline is in force: use the authorized enterprise chat tool, keep official work off unapproved tools, and check confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias and human accountability.
- Watch for
- Watch for a Secretary-General’s bulletin or administrative instruction on generative AI; none was located in the public policy repositories reviewed.
- Use it
- Cite Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work (5 March 2025) in rollout notes and staff checklists.
Front Office
- So what
- Secretariat staff now have a working AI rule set: use the authorized enterprise chat solution, not unapproved tools, and manage confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias and human accountability.
- Watch for
- Track the 5 March 2025 updated guidance, the CEB model policy framework, and the operational-use report.
- Use it
- Safe line: “The UN already has staff guidance on AI tools at work.” Cite: Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work.
Builders
- So what
- For Secretariat builds, this is the rulebook: use the authorized chat, avoid unapproved tools, and cover confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias, human accountability.
- Watch for
- Watch whether this guidance gets elevated into a Secretary-General’s bulletin or administrative instruction; none on generative AI was located in public repositories.
- Use it
- Apply Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work as your checklist; cite the CEB model policy framework and operational-use report.
Peace & Security
No Peace & Security reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
Development & Policy
No Development & Policy reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
Human Rights
No Human Rights reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
OPGA
No OPGA reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
Permanent Missions
No Permanent Missions reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It is the rule set that actually governs what a UN staffer may paste into a chatbot on a Tuesday afternoon.
How other roles read this
Data & Digital
- So what
- A Secretariat baseline is in force: use the authorized enterprise chat tool, keep official work off unapproved tools, and check confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias and human accountability.
- Watch for
- Watch for a Secretary-General’s bulletin or administrative instruction on generative AI; none was located in the public policy repositories reviewed.
- Use it
- Cite Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work (5 March 2025) in rollout notes and staff checklists.
Front Office
- So what
- Secretariat staff now have a working AI rule set: use the authorized enterprise chat solution, not unapproved tools, and manage confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias and human accountability.
- Watch for
- Track the 5 March 2025 updated guidance, the CEB model policy framework, and the operational-use report.
- Use it
- Safe line: “The UN already has staff guidance on AI tools at work.” Cite: Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work.
Builders
- So what
- For Secretariat builds, this is the rulebook: use the authorized chat, avoid unapproved tools, and cover confidentiality, personal data, verification, IP, bias, human accountability.
- Watch for
- Watch whether this guidance gets elevated into a Secretary-General’s bulletin or administrative instruction; none on generative AI was located in public repositories.
- Use it
- Apply Updated UN Guidance on the Use of AI Tools at Work as your checklist; cite the CEB model policy framework and operational-use report.