“Power Without Conscience? AI and the Leadership Test” — UN General Assembly 2025
The year 2025 is witnessing AI systems reaching unprecedented levels of influence, from shaping global elections and public discourse to redefining corporate decision-making and employee monitoring.
Despite the rapid proliferation of generative AI and autonomous systems, ethical frameworks and accountability mechanisms remain patchy, fragmented, or absent.
A growing leadership vacuum now poses a risk: power without conscience.
On September 26, during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week 2025, we will host an event bringing together business leaders, innovators, and policymakers to address key questions:
- Who is accountable for AI’s impact?
- How can companies innovate responsibly?
- What safeguards are needed to keep AI ethical without human oversight?
Partners of the event: EPAM, SPP Development, Epicentr K.
26 September, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (EDT)
UN Global Compact Hub, 101 Park Ave, New York
Key discussion topics:
- How companies can drive innovation responsibly.
- Real risks of AI, including disinformation, biased algorithms, and human rights violations.
- Emerging standards for responsible AI, such as transparency and voluntary codes of conduct.
- How SMEs can adopt AI with limited resources.
- The role of CEOs, executives, and investors in mitigating AI risks.
- How large corporations and governments can create accessible tools and standards for businesses.
Speakers:
Moderator:
Tetiana Sakharuk, Executive Director of the UNGC Ukraine and Chair of the Regional Network Council for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the UN Global Compact
List of Speakers:
- Alex Chudner, Chief Sustainability Officer, EPAM Systems
- Tijana Koprivica, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Holding
- Stjepan Orešković, CEO, Bosqar Invest
- Nikoloz Kobakhidze, Founder and CEO, The Crossroads
- Giorgi Khabashvili, Chairperson, Retail Association of Georgia
- Aizhan Balabatyrova, Shareholder, JSC KazAzot, Kazakhstan
- Irakli Beridze, Head of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, UNICRI (United Nations)
AGENDA
11:30 – 11:35 OPENING REMARKS
11:35 – 12:10 Round 1: “Ethics Under Pressure: When AI Collides with Human Rights”
Ethical dilemmas of AI – misinformation, surveillance, algorithmic bias, and systemic human rights risks. Exploring the responsibilities of CEOs, boards, and policymakers when innovation collides with accountability.
12:10 – 12:50 Round 2: “From Principles to Practice: Building Responsible AI Governance”
The focus is on practical solutions for responsible AI use, including:
- Human Rights Due Diligence in AI: concrete steps to assess technology’s impact on human rights and mitigate risks;
- Voluntary codes of conduct: can they serve as an effective tool for business self-regulation?
- Regulatory trends: an overview of key legislative changes and emerging international standards;
- Leadership grounded in inclusivity and accountability: how senior executives can embed responsible practices when implementing AI.
12:50 – 13:00 CLOSING & NEXT STEPS
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