Trending Now
We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
{{ subpage.title }}
Join Global Stage live from the 80th UN General Assembly
On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, our panel of global experts will discuss the future of global cooperation and governance in the age of AI. How can the UN and multilateralism keep pace with a technology transforming economies, societies, and geopolitics? And what will it take to ensure no country or society is left behind in the new AI economy?
Our livestream panel discussion, "Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly" will examine these key issues on Tuesday, September 23 at 11:30 AM ET, live from the sidelines of UN headquarters on the first day of high-level General Debate. Watch live at gzeromedia.com/globalstage.
The discussion will be moderated by Julia Chatterley, journalist and former anchor at CNN International, and will feature a distinguished panel including:
- Ian Bremmer, President and Founder, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
- Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
- Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
- Philip Thigo, Special Envoy for Technology for the Republic of Kenya
This livestream is the latest in the award-winning Global Stage series, a partnership between GZERO and Microsoft that examines critical issues at the intersection of technology, politics, and society.
Join us on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM ET at gzeromedia.com/globalstage to watch the discussion live.
Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly
Here's why Israel will accept a Gaza ceasefire soon
Despite the foot dragging and all the threats of taking over Gaza City, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will find his way to a ceasefire in Gaza this September. Here's why.
First, domestic pressure is growing. Israel is witnessing some of the largest street protests it's seen in the past two years. They're repetitive, they're consistent, they're ongoing. Second, there's growing international pressure. It is not only the Saudis that are leading the charge for recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations this September. It's also the French and the British and other European and Western allies of Israel. By signing on to a temporary ceasefire, Bibi can preclude some of that pressure.
There are also opportunities here. Netanyahu is better positioned against members of his own coalition who have been threatening to leave it if he signs onto that ceasefire, namely, ministers Ben Gvir, Smotrich are in a weaker position right now in the polls that they had been previously. They need him more than he needs them in the lead up to expected parliamentary elections next year.
There's also President Trump and rumors around Washington have it that he will be willing to visit Israel after a stopover in the UK on the 17th to the 19th of September if in fact Bibi finds his way to that temporary ceasefire. And lastly, what Hamas is putting on the table here is an acceptance of the American plan, otherwise known as the Witkoff plan named after the American envoy who tabled it last spring, but couldn't get itself to accept it. So for Bibi not to accept an American plan that he signed off on back in spring is counterintuitive.
So for all those reasons, we think that there will be a temporary ceasefire in September. It's not a total end to the war. It's a 60-day reprieve. Israel can find itself back at war in Gaza, perhaps occupying the entire strip. That will be the negative and brutal scenario. One would hope that diplomacy will find a way and will reign supreme by the end of that 60-day ceasefire.
British soldiers with NATO-led Resolute Support Mission arrive at the site of an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan March 6, 2020.
Hard Numbers: Secret British plan resettles Afghans, More Palestinians die at aid sites, US AIDS relief lives on, robots take the field, & more
19,000: According to a BBC report, the personal details of 19,000 Afghans who had applied to move to the United Kingdom following the 2021 Taliban takeover were leaked in February 2022. The government learned of the data breach in August 2023 and created a secret resettlement scheme for those affected, as it was deemed they were at risk of harm by the Taliban. Under the program, 4,500 Afghans have relocated to the UK.
20: At least 20 Palestinians were killed in a stampede at an aid distribution site operated by the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund on Wednesday. The UN says at least 875 people have lost their lives in the past six weeks alone while trying to access aid at these sites, with the majority reportedly gunned down by Israeli security forces. While Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians, it has said it is investigating the incidents.
$400 million: US Republican senators reached a budget deal on Tuesday that will preserve the $400-million President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, which helps to stem the spread of HIV in more than 50 countries and has reportedly saved 26 million lives. President Donald Trump had previously frozen funding for PEPFAR as part of his foreign-aid freeze.
2: A US citizen, Daniel Martindale, who spent more than two years spying on Ukrainian troops for Russia was awarded citizenship by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Martindale reportedly biked from Poland to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022, and surveyed key military positions and facilities from a Ukrainian village near the front line.
4: Our new robot umpire overlords have arrived! Last night’s Major League Baseball All-Star game – a meaningless but fun contest between the sport’s biggest stars – featured a trial system allowing players to appeal to a computerized system to challenge ball-and-strike calls made by human umps. Four out of the five challenges in the game were successful. The system could be introduced in meaningful games at the Major League level as soon as next season. Do we want this?
AI for Good depends on global cooperation, says ITU's Doreen Bogdan-Martin
“Connectivity is an enabler, but it’s not evenly distributed,” says Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU.
In a conversation with GZERO’s Tony Maciulis at the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Bogdan-Martin lays out the urgent global challenge: a widening digital divide in AI access, policy, and infrastructure. “Only 32 countries have meaningful compute capacity. And 85% don’t have an AI strategy.”
She calls for investment in local solutions, digital skills, and inclusive governance. “If we want AI for good, we need all voices at the table, not just the loudest.” From youth-led innovation to calls for global cooperation in a fragmented geopolitical climate, she underscores a simple truth: AI’s potential won’t be realized unless it’s shared.
This conversation is presented by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft, from the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. The Global Stage series convenes global leaders for critical conversations on the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
- AI innovations that tackle the global refugee crisis ›
- Breaking: The UN unveils plan for AI ›
- Europe’s AI Act: World’s first guardrails or just a flashy head start? ›
- How AI for Good is tackling the digital divide ›
- What is Artificial Intelligence “good” for? ›
- Should internet be free for everyone? A Global Stage debate ›
How AI for Good is tackling the digital divide
“AI is too important to be left to the experts,” says Frederic Werner, co-founder of the AI for Good Summit and head of strategic engagement at ITU (International Telecommunication Union), the United Nations' agency for digital technologies.
Speaking with GZERO's Tony Maciulis on the eve of the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Werner reflects on how artificial intelligence has rapidly evolved from early promise to real-world applications—from disaster response to healthcare. But with 2.6 billion people still offline, he warns of a growing digital divide and urges leaders to build inclusive systems from the ground up. “It’s not about connectivity for the sake of it—it’s about unlocking local solutions for local problems,” he says.
As AI and quantum computing reshape our future, Werner calls for partnerships across governments, private sector, and civil society to ensure global impact. “The wind may shift,” he adds, “but our mission stays the same: using AI to solve humanity’s biggest challenges.”
This conversation is presented by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft, from the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. The Global Stage series convenes global leaders for critical conversations on the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
Are NATO allies aligned on Iran?
On Ian Bremmer’s World in 180 Seconds: Ian unpacks US strikes on Iran, Russia’s stance on the conflict, and the future of the United Nations at 80.
Are US strikes on Iran exposing cracks in NATO? Not according to Ian Bremmer. In this week's World in :60, Ian says, “On Iran, NATO allies are pretty aligned. They consider Iran an implacable enemy... and don't support regime change.” Even with divergent views on Israel, NATO countries are backing US actions to counter Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
On Russia’s role? It’s complicated. While Russia could help Iran, Ian emphasizes that “what they don’t have is the willingness.” The Iran-Russia relationship remains transactional, "not strategic," and Moscow’s threats over recent strikes are “all bluster.”
Finally, as the UN marks its 80th anniversary, Ian reflects on its evolving role: “Having a forum where all countries… share information and understand each other better is becoming more important, not less.” It’s not global government, but it is a critical global resource.
Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, flanked by his family, during an election night rally in Warsaw, Poland, on June 1, 2025.
What We’re Watching this week: Poland retains a right-wing president, UN Security Council to vote on new members, & More
A conservative comeback in Poland
In a major blow to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s hopes of finally enacting his liberal and pro-Europe agenda, Law and Justice-backed candidate Karol Nawrocki defeated liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in the final round of Poland’s presidential election. Nawrocki won 50.89% of the vote in the head-to-head runoff. His win means a conservative will retain the presidency – Andrzej Duda had served for the previous decade – so there will continue to be a cap on what Tusk can achieve, given the president’s veto power.
Five new countries to enter the UN Security Council villa
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday will elect five new temporary members to serve for the next two years, with Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia each set to end their terms this year. The 15-member council, which has five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — tries to soothe global disputes, but has faced criticism for its failure to reform.
Guess who’s back?
The US Senate is back in session after its two-week Memorial Day hiatus, and it has something major on its docket: Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. Before the break, the House passed the bill by a single vote, but Republicans in the upper chamber have already said they’d like to make some alterations. If they do, the House will have to vote on the bill again. Penny for your thoughts, Speaker Mike Johnson?
Using AI to diagnose patients with a smartphone but no healthcare access
Artificial intelligence is often seen as a futuristic tool—but for some global health challenges, it’s already the only solution. Dr. Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft's Chief Data Scientist, Corporate Vice President, and Lab Director for the AI for Good Lab, points to a powerful example: diagnosing a leading cause of childhood blindness in newborns.
In this Global Stage conversation from the 2025 STI Forum at the United Nations, Ferres explains how AI is being used to detect retinopathy of prematurity, a condition affecting premature babies that now ranks as the world’s top cause of childhood blindness. The problem? There aren’t nearly enough pediatric ophthalmologists to meet global demand—and without early diagnosis, the condition often leads to permanent vision loss.
“We have AI models today that can diagnose this from your smartphone,” says Ferres. “This is just one example where AI is not just the solution—it’s the only solution we have.”
He argues that technology like this can empower doctors, not replace them, and help close critical gaps in healthcare access. With billions of people still lacking adequate care, Ferres believes AI can be a transformative force for scaling health services—if deployed thoughtfully and equitably.
This conversation is presented by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft, from the 2025 STI Forum at the United Nations in New York. The Global Stage series convenes global leaders for critical conversations on the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
See more at https://www.gzeromedia.com/global-stage/un-sti-forum/ai-trends-in-2025-that-drive-progress-on-global-goals