Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently entered the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), raising questions about governance models, legitimacy, and geopolitical alignments. This paper analyzes early-stage UNSC discourse on AI through qualitative content analysis of meeting records and correspondence (2023–2025). Findings reveal informal alignments among permanent members on seven themes, including multilateralism versus multi-stakeholderism and Global North – South divides, and consensus on human control over lethal autonomous weapons. These dynamics show how informal diplomacy can shape future governance frameworks on emerging technologies, and can guide norm-setting and capacity-building, helping inclusivity and inequality reduction in global governance.
Diletta Fabiani (Sun,) studied this question.