Thank you, President. Excellencies.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the foundations of our societies.
It heralds extraordinary promise in education, health, peacekeeping, conflict prevention, climate change and development.
But as well as opportunity it presents great dangers if we fail to act now and if we fail to act together.
While once we grappled to discern fact from propaganda, we are now witness to a collapse of truth altogether.
Content deliberately designed to deceive is now almost indistinguishable from reality.
False voices. Fabricated images. Manufactured narratives.
Algorithms amplifying fiction masquerading as fact.
And together, this risks destabilising societies and deepening divisions.
And yet the threat is greater still. AI's potential use in nuclear weapons and unmanned systems challenges the future of humanity.
Nuclear warfare has so far been constrained by human judgement.
By leaders who bear responsibility and by human conscience.
AI has no such concern, nor can it be held accountable.
These weapons threaten to change war itself and they risk escalation without warning.
President, decisions of life and death must never be delegated to machines.
And together, we must set the rules and establish the norms.
We must establish standards for the use of AI to demand it is safe, secure, responsible and ethical.
To ensure AI transforms the tools of conflict and diplomacy for the better, the Security Council must lead by example - to strengthen international peace and security and ensure it is not undermined.
Australia is running for a non-permanent seat on this Council for the 2029-30 term.
Because we believe international peace and security needs effective multilateralism.
And we seek to bring our experience investing in building resilience and closing digital divides through resilient digital infrastructure and our capacity-building partnerships across our region.
AI can support these goals. Goals many of us share.
President, this Council has a vital role to play.
Promotion of responsible state behaviour.
Supporting confidence-building.
Ensuring peace operations harness technology safely and effectively.
The Responsible AI in the Military Domain Summit initiated by the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands, brought the international community together to help deliver on these global needs.
Australia supports the UN General Assembly Resolution the summit advanced on 'AI in the Military Domain'.
President, as this Council turns 80, let us recommit ourselves to the UN Charter, with focus on the challenges ahead.
Working together to ensure AI serves humanity, and ensuring the digital future is one of peace and security.
Building a tomorrow worthy of our children.
