![U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.](https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/united-nations-artificial-intelligence-05082024-1.jpg?w=519&h=259&crop=1)
The U.N. often seems powerless, especially amid today’s polycrisis. Yet the organization did seem poised to take a leading role in one emerging global challenge: governing AI, at least until the growing trend of AI nationalism became an obstacle. Ideally, however, the U.N. should still play a leading role in AI governance.