Foreign Minister Penny Wong has delivered a chilling warning about artificial intelligence, warning the technology could trigger nuclear war if left unchecked.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council in New York, Wong said AI was ‘reshaping the foundations of our societies’, offering enormous opportunities in education, healthcare, peacekeeping and climate change.
The Foreign Minister voiced her concerns about AI’s potential to transform warfare, especially its use in nuclear weapons and autonomous military systems.
‘Nuclear warfare has so far been constrained by human judgement – by leaders who bear responsibility and by human conscience,’ she said.
‘AI has no such concern, nor can it be held accountable. These weapons threaten to change war itself and they risk escalation without warning.’
‘Decisions of life and death must never be delegated to machines.’
Wong urged the Security Council to take charge of global efforts to regulate AI, setting rules and standards to ensure it is used safely and ethically.
She also called on world leaders to promote responsible state behaviour, build trust between nations, and ensure peacekeeping missions deploy technology safely.
Penny Wong (pictured at the UN) warned that AI, if left unchecked, could lead to nuclear war
The Foreign Minister voiced her concerns for AI’s potential to transform warfare, especially its use in nuclear weapons and autonomous military systems (stock image)
Australia is seeking a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2029–30, with Wong pledging Canberra’s expertise in digital resilience and regional cooperation.
She also endorsed the ‘Responsible AI in the Military Domain’ summit, which paved the way for a UN resolution on military use of AI.
Wong also appealed for a renewed commitment to the UN Charter, and a united push to ensure AI serves humanity, not undermines it.
‘We must build a digital future of peace and security. A tomorrow worthy of our children,’ she said.
In Australia, the Productivity Commission is pushing the Albanese government to regulate AI, making it a key topic at the Productivity Roundtable in July.
Wong’s speech comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed world leaders on Tuesday, a day after Australia’s formal recognition of Palestine as a state.
Albanese declared that Hamas can have ‘no role in Palestine’s future’ and renewed calls for the group to return hostages immediately and with dignity.
His address came shortly after the White House slammed recognition of a Palestinian state as ‘more talk and not enough action from some of our allies’.
