Organized for the first time within the United Nations system, the dialogue brought together representatives of international organizations, more than 170 government delegations, leading researchers, technology companies, investors, and civil society to discuss global approaches to artificial intelligence governance.

The event focused on strengthening international cooperation, establishing effective global governance mechanisms for artificial intelligence, and promoting the safe, responsible, and human-centered development of AI technologies.

Opening the dialogue, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the initiative as the first permanent global platform dedicated to artificial intelligence governance, emphasizing its role in advancing shared principles and international cooperation.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and UNESCO Director-General Khalid Al-Anani also highlighted the importance of inclusive AI governance, the development of international legal and ethical frameworks, experience-sharing among countries, and the protection of human rights in the age of artificial intelligence.

Speaking during the high-level plenary session, Minister Sherzod Shermatov presented Uzbekistan's ongoing reforms to advance artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

He noted that Uzbekistan has adopted the Artificial Intelligence Development Strategy through 2030 and is implementing around 100 priority AI projects across healthcare, education, agriculture, energy, finance, industry, and electronic government.

The Minister also emphasized the country's strong focus on human capital development. More than one million people have earned certificates through the "5 Million AI Leaders" initiative, over 3,000 public sector employees are undergoing advanced AI training, and dedicated artificial intelligence officers have been appointed across 90 government institutions.

Shermatov also highlighted Uzbekistan's progress in international AI rankings, noting that the country advanced 25 positions to rank 62nd out of 195 countries in the Government AI Readiness Index published by Oxford Insights.

Concluding his remarks, the Minister reaffirmed Uzbekistan's commitment to the principles of data security, transparency, ethics, cybersecurity, and meaningful human oversight in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. He also expressed the country's readiness to further strengthen international cooperation in improving responsible AI governance.