World Leaders Tackle Iran, Ukraine And AI Risks At UN General Assembly

World leaders gathered for a second day of speeches at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, addressing pressing global concerns including the wars in Ukraine and Iran alongside growing worries over rapid artificial intelligence development. Wednesday’s lineup of speakers included Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Trump’s Tuesday Speech Covers Multiple Fronts

According to Reuters, President Trump used his 37-minute address the previous day to warn he could annihilate Iran absent a peace agreement, while predicting a deal would likely emerge after the November 3 midterm elections. On Ukraine, he said Washington continues working closely with both Moscow and Kyiv toward ending that conflict, expressing confidence a resolution would arrive faster than most people expect.

Trump Pushes Back On AI Safety Concerns

Trump also announced the US government would begin using the term “super intelligence” rather than artificial intelligence, dismissing safety warnings surrounding the technology as exaggerated. He stated he would not restrict growth of a technology he views as more transformative than the Industrial Revolution, though he noted law enforcement agencies would intervene if necessary. Separately, he criticized the United Nations itself, highlighting budget and staffing cuts made under his administration while objecting to global taxation efforts and what he called an unelected bureaucratic agenda.

AI Company Executives To Address Security Council

Wednesday’s proceedings also feature briefings to the UN Security Council from executives representing OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, and China’s DeepSeek. These sessions come amid warnings that increasingly capable AI systems could eventually improve themselves beyond human oversight, posing potential risks to international security. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has previously cautioned that the rapid pace of AI advancement carries dangers that cannot be dismissed. Trump, however, told assembled leaders he rejects any effort to build a global system controlling AI development, calling the technology remarkable while acknowledging the need for caution.

Assembly Location And Structure

The General Assembly convenes at UN headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, a 17-acre campus stretching from 1st Avenue to the East River between 42nd and 48th Streets, encompassing four primary buildings including the General Assembly Building and the Secretariat.