From years of working alongside governments, multilateral bodies, and civil society, I have seen how often ambition is lost in the machinery of politics. That is why this moment, fragile as it is, merits special attention—and maybe even a bit of hope. In this case, nations recognized that no single country could govern artificial intelligence alone, and that recognition created the space to begin building lasting institutions for AI governance.

The reality we must confront is that for years, our debates about AI have been dominated by hype and fear, recycled narratives that misdirect our imagination and our policies. The UN’s resolution represents the first attempt to break that cycle by creating institutions that can anchor AI in science, evidence, and cooperation. If they succeed, they can create a new narrative of AI: one that serves public purpose rather than amplifying unjust profit or panic.

Too often, we tell the same scary stories: an evil mogul in his tower building AI systems no one else can control, a machine that outgrows its makers, a gleaming future where technology erases our flaws. Each carries a fragment of truth, but together they obscure the realities already shaping human lives. Narratives like these shape policy and investment, while the most consequential applications are too often ignored.