Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), delivered this keynote lecture at the UNU Macau AI Conference 2025 as part of the ongoing UNU Rector AI Lecture Series.
In his lecture, Professor Marwala challenged the assumption that high accuracy equates to truth. He examined the inherent trade‑offs in AI governance — such as balancing transparency and safety — and proposed approaches to reconcile competing values. He further emphasized the role of knowledge institutions in advancing responsible AI by promoting AI literacy, designing incentive schemes, building regulatory frameworks, and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue.
Professor Marwala also highlighted the unique positioning of UNU as both a global knowledge institution and a UN entity. By combining academic rigor with the legitimacy and convening power of the UN, UNU is able to bridge research, policy, and practice, ensuring that the governance of digital technologies reflects both scientific insight and the values of the international community.
This lecture is the second episode in the UNU Rector AI Lecture Series, one of UNU’s broader efforts to foster meaningful dialogue on sustainable development and digital technologies.
Watch the first episode: UNU Rector AI Lecture Series: AI Insights for a Sustainable Future
