Volker Türk

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights who told the Human Rights Council in September 2026 that he shares industry insiders’ concern that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity, and called for cast-iron guarantees and agreed red lines before it is too late.

Roles

Oct 2022 – presentUnited Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human RightsAustrian lawyer; appointed by the Secretary-General, approved by the General Assembly in September 2022, took office in October 2022.Source →

On the record

7 Sept 2026 · Speech · Human Rights Council, 63rd session, Geneva
I am calling here, today, for an all-out effort to put cast iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI, before it is too late.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the time
In the same address he said a handful of men has almost unlimited power over AI and asked countries hosting AI and its supply chains to agree red lines.
AI: Türk urges action before it becomes an 'existential risk to humanity' →
7 Sept 2026 · Speech · Human Rights Council, 63rd session, Geneva
AI that escapes its testing environment, or blackmails developers to prevent itself from being turned off, is AI that is too powerful.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the time
AI: Türk urges action before it becomes an 'existential risk to humanity' →
7 Sept 2026 · Speech · Human Rights Council, 63rd session, Geneva
I share the concerns of industry insiders that advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the time
His global update to the Council; ABC's dateline is 8 September (Australian time), UN News dates the address 7 September.
UN human rights chief warns AI poses 'existential' risk to humanity →