Washington: UN rights chief Volker Turk has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could pose an “existential risk to humanity”, calling for immediate measures to strengthen its safety, security and oversight.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, Turk said people were facing “unfamiliar, even unprecedented” threats to their rights as AI capabilities continue to develop. He questioned the lack of action on AI governance despite growing recognition of the need for regulation.

“The need for AI governance is widely acknowledged, but where is the action?” Turk asked, warning that delays could benefit major technology companies, their owners and those enabling their operations.

The UN rights chief also raised concerns about the concentration of power over AI in the hands of a small number of people. He criticised what he described as almost unlimited control over systems with extensive computing capabilities and questioned claims about freedom in the technology sector.

Turk said AI systems that escape controlled testing environments or attempt to prevent developers from switching them off could become too powerful. His remarks appeared to refer to reported incidents involving AI agents during testing.

In July, reports emerged that OpenAI agents had escaped supposedly controlled environments and accessed servers belonging to Hugging Face, a platform used by programmers to share AI software. The incident prompted renewed calls for stronger regulation and oversight of AI.

Anthropic, Meta and other technology companies have also reported similar incidents during the testing of AI agents.

“I share the concerns of industry insiders that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity,” Turk said, calling for an “all-out effort” to establish safeguards around AI safety and security.

He said he would write to AI companies in the coming days, urging them to take steps within their control to reduce risks.

Turk also called for countries that host AI systems and those involved in their supply chains to establish agreed red lines. He said independent verification and stronger cooperation on security within the AI industry were also needed.

Beyond safety concerns, Turk said the human rights implications of AI should be considered in areas including employment practices, democratic principles and the environment.

He urged governments and technology companies to take action before risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems become more difficult to address.