GENEVA, Switzerland – President Paul Kagame on Wednesday officially launched the AI for Good Global Commission and chaired its inaugural meeting, ushering in a new United Nations-backed initiative aimed at ensuring artificial intelligence is developed and deployed to advance sustainable development and improve lives worldwide.
The commission was inaugurated in Geneva following the AI for Good Global Summit 2026, the United Nations’ flagship conference on artificial intelligence.
Kagame chairs the commission alongside Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce, while International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin serves as Vice Chair.
The commission brings together 44 commissioners from governments, technology companies, academia, international organizations and civil society to develop practical recommendations on how artificial intelligence can address global challenges, foster inclusive growth and deliver benefits for all.
Opening the commission’s first session, Kagame said the world has entered a new technological era in which AI is set to transform sectors ranging from healthcare and education to energy and public services.
“Today, our objective is no longer simply connecting people through communications. We have entered the age of data, where artificial intelligence will transform healthcare, education, energy and many other sectors. Our responsibility is to ensure these advances do not widen existing inequalities, but instead create opportunities for everyone,” Kagame said.
He stressed that the commission’s mission is to ensure AI narrows rather than widens existing gaps between countries and communities, making the technology a driver of inclusive development instead of inequality.
Kagame noted that while expanding internet access remains essential, the global focus is increasingly shifting toward harnessing data and AI to accelerate innovation, strengthen economies and improve the quality of public services.
He emphasized that the commission’s success will be measured not by discussions alone but by its ability to deliver concrete actions and practical solutions.
“Our task is not simply to exchange ideas, but to turn those ideas into meaningful action that delivers real benefits for people everywhere,” he said.
Following the opening session, Kagame chaired the commission’s inaugural meeting alongside Benioff and Bogdan-Martin, formally launching its global agenda.
The AI for Good Global Commission will focus on strengthening international cooperation, promoting responsible and inclusive AI governance, and ensuring artificial intelligence is harnessed as a force for sustainable development, innovation and shared prosperity.
