Policy & society

Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI

An evidence-based preliminary assessment of AI’s opportunities, risks and societal impacts.

Publisher
United Nations
Publication
July 2026
Length
59 pages
Language
English
£249 GBP

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United Nations

Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI

2026 / RESEARCH

Independent research index / editorial cover

About this report

A preliminary international scientific assessment of AI’s opportunities, risks and impacts. The panel’s report organizes evidence across capabilities, societal applications, economic change, security, environmental questions, human rights and governance. It pays particular attention to unequal access and influence, agentic systems and gaps in the evidence. Its mandate is policy-relevant but not policy-prescriptive, making it a starting point for shared understanding rather than a set of binding recommendations. Use it to connect specialist debates and identify questions that require further research or institutional capacity.

The PDF is in English. This introduction and content guide are available in your selected language.

Who it is for

  • Policy and governance teams
  • Researchers and analysts
  • Public service and procurement teams

Inside this report

  1. Capability progress and the limits of evaluation
  2. Unequal access, concentration and enabling conditions
  3. Applications in science, health, education and agriculture
  4. Economic, security, environmental and rights impacts
  5. Governance, evidence gaps and next steps
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