In brief
- US President Donald Trump has addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
- Trump used his speech to talk about the unpopular war with Iran and downplaying fears around AI.
US President Donald Trump had no problems with stalling escalators or teleprompters at this year’s United Nations General Assembly. He stuck to the script, but the message he conveyed was blunt and deeply unsettling.
As Donald Trump looked down at representatives from about 130 countries, including Australia, he defended the strikes on Iran that have clogged the Strait of Hormuz and driven up oil prices and inflation across the globe.
Domestic disapproval of the war with Iran, which began in February, has punctured the popularity of many Republican incumbents, including close Trump allies, as they prepare for mid-term elections in November.
"I hope the Europeans realise that Iran’s goal was to complete their mad dash to a nuclear bomb," Trump said.
As the majority of the Iranian delegation walked out of his speech, Trump went on to unfold the decision before him about the conflict.
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The question he posed: "Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country?"
"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival?"
Trump's final assessment was to predict a deal with Iran that would be done after the American mid-term elections.
It was a concession that, despite allowing the Islamic Republic to send representatives to New York, he doesn’t expect to achieve a final negotiation this week.
A meeting between Iranian and US officials came after the speech, according to the White House.
Trump downplays AI fears
Trump also addressed the strengthening international push to regulate artificial intelligence.
After cancelling press passes for CNN, MS NOW and Politico over accusations of “fake news” and criticism of his government, he’s now using the same tagline for the rapidly developing technology industry.
"The use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake, and makes it sound fake, and it is not fake. It's actually amazing."
"The United States totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme of control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now — hereinafter officially called ‘Super Intelligence', changing the name."
The former real estate mogul and political salesman hammering home the rebrand, planning to change the wording in government documents.
"In other words, welcome to the new world of superintelligence — SI. SI, let's hear that. SI has got a ring to it. It is much better."
With 100 days left in his role as United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres was the warm-up act for the US leader.
“Artificial intelligence must be shaped by humanity, with humanity, and for all humanity,” he said.
The Secretary-General outlined the two key challenges.
"Children must never become the test subjects for unregulated systems."
"Let us resolve that life and death decisions must never be surrendered to machines."
“Killer robots must have no place in our future.”
His declarations were met with widespread applause, but the AI race is largely considered to be an issue that can only be resolved between the Presidents of the United States and China.
China's President Xi Jinping skipped the UN meetings and will instead head straight to the White House to meet with Trump later this week.
The expectations for any grand Washington bargain to slow AI progress are low, despite some experts going public with concerns about whether frontier models could eventually wipe out humanity.
Spanish leader Pedro Sanchez is one of the politicians leading the push for guardrails.
"A digital world without rules is a jungle, a failed state."
He says there have been warnings ever since the fictional AI character HAL 9000 went rogue in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Prime Minister Sanchez said he wanted to send a message to the tech oligarchs.
"Our children are more important than your business."
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