As part of the intergovernmental process dedicated to defining terms of reference and modalities for the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance (whose creation was agreed in the context of the Global Digital Compact), the co-facilitators, Costa Rica and Spain, made available a zero draft resolution on 19 March 2025. 

The zero draft provides several details regarding the establishment, functions, and roles of the Panel and Dialogue, as follows:

The Panel:

• Is to comprise a 20-member Expert Committee (appointed by the UN Secretary-General) and a 40-member Advisory Committee (elected by the General Assembly).
  • The Expert Committee will oversee all outputs from the Panel; define research areas; establish working groups to prepare assessments and technical briefs according to research priorities; appoint Chairs to each working group from among the members of the Expert Committee; assign members of the Expert and Advisory Committees to each working group; and invite external experts to engage with the working groups as necessary.
  • The Advisory Committee will contribute to the Panel's outputs led by the Expert Committee.
• Shall produce timely and responsive outputs, including one annual report synthesizing key AI research trends.
• Is to present its findings to the Dialogue.

Tha Dialogue:

• Will function as an intergovernmental and multistakeholder platform to facilitate open, transparent and inclusive discussions on AI governance.
• Shall be open to all Member States, observers, and relevant stakeholders.
• Will hold a plenary meeting, with a high-level segment with participation at the level of Heads of State and Government, and thematic discussions.
• Shall facilitate international cooperation on AI governance including through sharing of best practices, lessons learned and capacity-building programs; identify ways on how AI can contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the respect, protection and promotion of human rights, support linguistic and cultural diversity; encourage dialogue between Member States and stakeholders; and foster interoperability.
• Shall be convened once annually in the margins of existing relevant United Nations conferences and meetings.
  • The first Dialogue is to be held in New York in September 2025 and that the second Dialogue in Geneva in 2026.
  • Topics for each annual meeting of the dialogue are to be identified by two Co-Chairs, appointed by the President of the General Assembly. 
  • A summary of the Dialogue is to be prepared by the Co-Chairs. 

In addition, the zero draft includes a request for the UN Secretary-General to  Secretary-General to operationalize a Secretariat to provide the necessary support for the Panel and the Dialogue by leveraging system-wide capacities including in the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the International Telecommunications Union and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The Panel and the Dialogue are to be reviewed during the High-Level Review of the Global Digital Compact at the eighty-second session of the General Assembly.

UN member states will discuss the Zero Draft on 1 April (first reading). A calendar of other key dates is also published.

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