Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says AI can be both a force for good and a tool for harm.
“AI has either the possibility of…providing interventions and disruption, or it has the ability to also further harms, increase radicalization, and exacerbate issues of terrorism and extremism online.”
Ardern highlights the Christchurch Call initiative, which brings together over 130 organizations to address emerging technology risks. “We need smaller operators to have access to these tools,” she said, noting the creation of open-source initiatives like Elevate and algorithmic research projects aimed at understanding and disrupting pathways to radicalization. She also points to Catalyst, a project tackling the intersection of gender-based violence and online extremism.
She spoke with GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis at the 2025 Paris Peace Forum panel, “Collective Resilience in the Age of AI,” part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series with Microsoft.
