The adopted without a vote the China-led Enhancing international cooperation on capacity-building of artificial intelligence. The draft was issued as A/78/L.86 and adopted at the ninety-seventh . It calls for cooperation on infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity, with particular attention to developing countries.
What this means for
Reading asOptional: it just picks which take you see first.
Just curious / new to AI
It made equitable access and developing-country capacity a distinct pillar of UN AI governance.
Pick a role above and this becomes the reading for that desk: what it means, what to watch, and a line you can use.
Development & Policy
- So what
- Capacity-building is now a stand-alone AI governance track you can anchor in UN language: infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity, with developing countries central.
- Watch for
- Track how agencies, country teams and intergovernmental processes pick up A/RES/78/311 in AI cooperation, financing and digital-capacity discussions.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311 in programme notes and funding pitches; use its list as a checklist for what an AI capacity-building package should cover.
OPGA
- So what
- Capacity-building for equitable AI access, especially in developing countries, is now a consensus-set GA pillar on AI cooperation.
- Watch for
- Track where A/RES/78/311 is cited in later GA AI talks on infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311, adopted without a vote on 1 July 2024; safe line: "The General Assembly has already set equitable AI capacity-building as a shared priority."
Builders
- So what
- Capacity-building is now a stand-alone UN AI pillar, so projects with infrastructure, data, skills, technical assistance or institutional strengthening fit the direction of travel.
- Watch for
- Track who cites A/RES/78/311 in AI negotiations and programme design: it puts equitable access on the table, but creates no build-ready mechanism.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311 or A/78/L.86 in concept notes to justify capacity-building components: financing, knowledge-sharing, data, skills and institutional capacity are named.
Permanent Missions
- So what
- AI capacity-building is now a standalone GA track, adopted by consensus, so your capital can treat developing-country needs as settled UN language, not an add-on.
- Watch for
- Track follow-on GA drafting and statements building on A/RES/78/311’s frame: infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311; if process matters, note it was China-led, issued as A/78/L.86, and adopted without a vote on 1 July 2024.
Peace & Security
No Peace & Security reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It made equitable access and developing-country capacity a distinct pillar of UN AI governance.
Human Rights
No Human Rights reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It made equitable access and developing-country capacity a distinct pillar of UN AI governance.
Data & Digital
No Data & Digital reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It made equitable access and developing-country capacity a distinct pillar of UN AI governance.
Front Office
No Front Office reading was written for this one: it was judged to sit outside that desk. It made equitable access and developing-country capacity a distinct pillar of UN AI governance.
How other roles read this
Development & Policy
- So what
- Capacity-building is now a stand-alone AI governance track you can anchor in UN language: infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity, with developing countries central.
- Watch for
- Track how agencies, country teams and intergovernmental processes pick up A/RES/78/311 in AI cooperation, financing and digital-capacity discussions.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311 in programme notes and funding pitches; use its list as a checklist for what an AI capacity-building package should cover.
OPGA
- So what
- Capacity-building for equitable AI access, especially in developing countries, is now a consensus-set GA pillar on AI cooperation.
- Watch for
- Track where A/RES/78/311 is cited in later GA AI talks on infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311, adopted without a vote on 1 July 2024; safe line: "The General Assembly has already set equitable AI capacity-building as a shared priority."
Builders
- So what
- Capacity-building is now a stand-alone UN AI pillar, so projects with infrastructure, data, skills, technical assistance or institutional strengthening fit the direction of travel.
- Watch for
- Track who cites A/RES/78/311 in AI negotiations and programme design: it puts equitable access on the table, but creates no build-ready mechanism.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311 or A/78/L.86 in concept notes to justify capacity-building components: financing, knowledge-sharing, data, skills and institutional capacity are named.
Permanent Missions
- So what
- AI capacity-building is now a standalone GA track, adopted by consensus, so your capital can treat developing-country needs as settled UN language, not an add-on.
- Watch for
- Track follow-on GA drafting and statements building on A/RES/78/311’s frame: infrastructure, financing, knowledge-sharing, technical assistance, data, skills and institutional capacity.
- Use it
- Cite A/RES/78/311; if process matters, note it was China-led, issued as A/78/L.86, and adopted without a vote on 1 July 2024.