The global conversation about artificial intelligence took a major step forward this month when the United Nations announced the creation of a new Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. Among the 40 experts selected are two names that stand out for their influence across technology, media, and global governance: Maria Ressa and Yoshua Bengio.
The panel represents the first global scientific body dedicated entirely to understanding the societal impact of artificial intelligence. Designed in some ways to mirror the role that climate science panels play in guiding policy, the group will assess how AI affects economies, human rights, public trust, and global development.
Maria, the Nobel Peace Prize–winning journalist and founder of Rappler, brings a crucial perspective to the table: the intersection of technology, information, and democracy. For years she has warned about the dangers of online disinformation and algorithmic amplification, particularly how social media and emerging technologies can erode democratic institutions. Her work has focused on how digital platforms shape public opinion, often faster than societies can adapt.
Yoshua approaches the challenge from the other side of the equation. Often described as the “Godfather of AI,” he is one of the pioneers of deep learning and a recipient of the Turing Award, one of the highest honors in computer science. His research helped lay the foundation for the machine-learning breakthroughs that now power modern AI systems—from language models to computer vision tools.
Together, Maria and Yoshua represent a powerful pairing of technological expertise and societal insight. In fact, the two have been selected to co-chair the new panel, signaling the UN’s intention to balance technical innovation with ethical oversight and public accountability.
The panel was established by the UN General Assembly in 2025 as part of a broader global effort to coordinate AI governance. Its mandate is ambitious: to provide independent scientific assessments of artificial intelligence and help close the growing “AI knowledge gap” between nations and institutions.
Members will serve in their personal capacity rather than representing governments or corporations, an important detail intended to protect the panel’s independence. Their findings are expected to inform policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society as governments worldwide grapple with the opportunities and risks of AI.
For organizations and leaders working at the intersection of technology and society, the collaboration between Maria and Yoshua is especially significant. One has spent years documenting how information ecosystems can be manipulated. The other helped build the technologies that now define the AI era.
Bringing these two perspectives together reflects the central challenge of the moment: ensuring that the technologies shaping our future are guided not only by technical capability, but by democratic values and human responsibility.
As artificial intelligence continues to transform every sector—from media to medicine to geopolitics—the work of this panel will likely become one of the most important global conversations of the decade.
And with Maria and Yoshua helping lead the effort, that conversation will include both the builders of AI and the guardians of the public trust.
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