New York: UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres warned of the escalating and unprecedented spread of hate speech fueled by artificial intelligence (AI), stressing that such rhetoric poses a serious threat to peace and social cohesion.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a message marking International Day for Countering Hate Speech on 18 June 2025, Guterres stated that ethnic and religious minorities often bear the brunt of the resulting discrimination, harm, and abuse. This year’s theme highlights the connection between hate speech and AI.
He elaborated that the Global Digital Compact, adopted at the Summit of the Future, provides a pathway by enhancing international cooperation to combat online hate while upholding human rights and international law.
Guterres emphasized the need for partnerships at every level-among governments, civil society, private companies, and religious and community leaders-to drown out the voices of hate. He called for countering toxic messages with positivity, empowering people to identify, challenge, and avoid spreading hate, and transforming AI into a force for peace, understanding, and unity.
The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech guides these collective efforts, alongside the Global Principles for Information Integrity, which Guterres launched last year. He urged commitment to using AI as a tool for good, promoting peace, understanding, and a more humane information ecosystem.