04.04.2025 Statement by Denmark at Arria-Formula Meeting on AI

Checked Against Delivery

Thank you, Chair.

Let me start by thanking the organizers of today’s meeting and commend the briefers for their insightful presentations. This is indeed an opportunity to build on the Council’s earlier meetings on artificial intelligence held in July 2023 and most recently in December 2024.

Mr. Chair,

AI technologies continue to evolve at rapid pace and are transforming societies and economies globally. In the peace and security context, there are examples of AI being used both to fuel conflicts and to promote peace and security.

On the one hand, AI can be an instrument of war, in terms of surveillance, sowing hatred and distrust through the spread of mis- and disinformation and hate speech, as well as via cyberattacks and autonomous weapons. On the other, AI offers potential in support of peacebuilding and peacekeeping through early warning, more effective conflict resolution mechanisms, and in support of decision making.

To increase the chances that the opportunities associated with AI outweigh the risks, the General Assembly has on more than one occasion expressed a consensus on the need for safe, secure and trustworthy AI.

With the adoption of the first GA resolution on the use of AI in the military domain, Member States conveyed their overwhelming support for the application of international law to AI in the military domain along with the importance of narrowing the global AI divide and ensuring a multi-stakeholder approach.

Accordingly, our priority must be to ensure the responsible use of trustworthy AI for peace and security, in compliance with international law, including both international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

We call on Member States to ensure that humans remain responsible and accountable for the development, deployment and use of AI applications in the military domain. To implement appropriate safeguards relating to human judgement and control over the use of force. And to ensure that AI is not used in ways that undermine human rights or the rule of law.

Denmark remains committed to continuing multilateral dialogue on responsible AI in the military domain. We encourage continued deepening of international cooperation in this field, and invite more Member States to join the “Paris Declaration on Maintaining Human Control in AI enabled Weapon Systems”, which Denmark joined earlier this year

Extending beyond the military domain, Denmark supports the creation of a cohesive global framework for AI governance to ensure that AI technologies are developed, deployed and managed responsibly.

Mr. Chair,

On the ground, where UN peace operations work hard every day to implement the mandates adopted by the Security Council, we see how AI-enabled rapid dissemination of mis- and disinformation, hate speech and manipulated content can contribute to further polarization and hatred among local populations. Moreover, when UN peacekeepers are subjected to disinformation campaigns, their ability to implement their mandate is put at risk – as is the safety and security of the peacekeepers themselves.

Yet, the integration of AI capabilities in decision making and peace operations can also enhance the safety and operational effectiveness of peacekeepers. There is also a potential to leverage AI-powered analysis of mission-wide data to identify early signs of potential conflicts and threats to civilians, thus enabling timely preventive action and protection of civilians. AI-driven systems can bolster the UN's capabilities for detecting and addressing cyber threats as well as countering mis- and disinformation and hate speech. Furthermore, AI technologies could support peace operations in remote monitoring and verification of ceasefire agreements.

Mr. Chair,

The Security Council should engage meaningfully on how AI shapes international peace and security, including by considering how AI systems can be leveraged by the UN to effectively implement Security Council resolutions and UN peace operation mandates.

To this end, the Council would benefit from continuously inviting relevant experts from the private sector, civil society and academia to brief, just as we have seen here today

I thank you, Chair.