World leaders demand human control over AI

Twenty-two world leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, have signed a joint statement demanding urgent guardrails to keep artificial intelligence under "human control," citing serious safety and security risks from rapid AI development. The statement warns that cutting-edge "frontier" AI models pose dangers if unmanaged and calls for mandatory pre-launch testing, shared safety plans, and independent expert reviews. It also proposes a global organisation to set safety standards and coordinate responses when AI capabilities reach dangerous thresholds. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not sign the statement, though they are set to meet this week to discuss AI safety measures. Albanese, in New York for the UN General Assembly, said Australians want assurance that AI will not control society.