Paris, 18 March 2026 — UNESCO today released its first comprehensive global assessment of Member States' progress in implementing the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the first-ever global normative instrument on AI ethics, adopted by UNESCO's General Conference in November 2021.

Key Findings

The report, prepared by the UNESCO Secretariat in collaboration with its Global AI Ethics and Governance Observatory, draws on data submitted by 113 Member States. It reveals that while awareness of the Recommendation has grown considerably, concrete legislative and institutional action remains uneven.

Approximately 67 per cent of responding Member States have initiated national consultations or working groups on AI governance. However, only 29 per cent have enacted dedicated AI legislation or binding regulations aligned with the Recommendation's core principles of human rights, transparency, and accountability.

Priority Areas for Action

UNESCO's analysis identifies three priority areas requiring urgent attention:

First, the integration of AI ethics principles into national education curricula at all levels remains nascent. Fewer than 20 per cent of Member States have introduced AI literacy programmes targeting primary and secondary education.

Second, the representation of women and marginalized communities in AI policy-making processes continues to be a significant deficit. UNESCO calls for affirmative measures to ensure inclusive governance.

Third, transboundary cooperation on AI risk assessment frameworks is insufficient. UNESCO urges Member States to engage with the multilateral mechanisms established under the Recommendation to share assessments, best practices, and technical capacity.

UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM)

To assist Member States in benchmarking their progress, UNESCO has further refined its AI Readiness Assessment Methodology. The RAM provides a structured, country-specific evaluation tool that maps existing policies, institutional capacities, and regulatory environments against the Recommendation's eleven thematic areas.

Path Forward

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated: "Artificial intelligence presents both extraordinary opportunities and serious risks for humanity. This report is a call to action. We need every government to move from commitment to concrete policy, and to do so with inclusion and human rights at the centre."

UNESCO will convene a High-Level Expert Forum on AI Ethics in June 2026 to review progress and issue guidance for the next implementation cycle.