How to Achieve Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy AI

The event brought together diplomats, experts, and representatives from international organisations to explore the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its implications for human rights, safety, and global governance.

In her opening remarks, Ambassador Deike Potzel underlined the EU’s core principle that technology must serve humanity – not the other way around. Highlighting the EU AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI, she emphasised the EU’s leading role in ensuring that AI systems are human-centric and accountable:

The potential of Artificial Intelligence for innovation and sustainable development is immense, but so too are the challenges

During the discussion, participants reflected on the concept of human agency and the urgent need for transparency of AI platforms to ensure that users know when and how AI is used in their daily lives. There was broad agreement that the coming years will be crucial to ensure that AI technologies strengthen, rather than weaken, the protection of human rights and democratic values. 

Ambassador Potzel reaffirmed the EU’s strong support for multilateral initiatives, including the UN Global Digital Compact, the Council of Europe’s framework convention, the OECD recommendation on AI, and the upcoming AI Impact Summit in India (February 2026) and AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva (July 2026). She closed her speech by reiterating the EU’s strong commitment to a human-centric and human-rights-based digital future:

How do we avoid a technological dystopia? By building trust, strengthening governance, and working together across borders and sectors. We need to ensure that AI truly serves humanity, not the other way around