Ban Ki-moon, former secretary general of the United Nations, urged companies to approach artificial intelligence (AI) with a balance of optimism and caution, noting that the technology can support sustainable development if used responsibly. He shared these views during his keynote at the Asian Forum on Enterprise for Society 2025 organized by the Asian Institute of Management.
Ban pointed out that AI is quickly becoming part of everyday operations across industries. Many companies now use it to understand customer behavior, improve services, and make decisions faster.
“Enterprises are beginning to integrate AI into using data to predict customer needs, personalized experiences and make decisions faster than ever before,” he told participants. “AI-driven analysis now guides strategy in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, enabling firms to be both efficient and resilient in uncertain times.”
Even as AI becomes more common, Ban reminded leaders that the technology brings challenges that cannot be ignored. Issues such as biased decision-making, privacy risks, and possible job loss require stronger governance and clearer guidelines. He stressed that companies must ensure AI aligns with human values and supports transparency and accountability.
For Ban, businesses succeed not by treating AI as just another cost-saving tool, but by viewing it as a strategic partner. He highlighted the need for leaders to understand how AI works while also considering its broader impact on people and communities. This, he said, calls for a mix of technical knowledge and thoughtful judgment.
Ban described the coming decade as a time when organizations will need to find the right balance between technology and responsibility. He encouraged companies to build systems and processes that remain centered on people, guided by trust, openness, and inclusiveness. While AI can speed up many tasks, human oversight, he said, should remain at the core of decision-making.
His push for ethical use of technology reflects his longstanding focus on governance. Since 2017, Ban has chaired the International Olympic Committee’s Ethics Commission, where he works on issues involving fairness and accountability.
“AI is expected to bring immense opportunity for implementing sustainable development goals, but also poses profound challenges like a bias, privacy, job displacement and the need for new forms of digital governance and ethics,” he said.
Ban, who cofounded the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, encouraged leaders across sectors to adopt AI in a transparent and responsible way. He emphasized that AI should enhance human creativity and productivity, not simply replace people or automate work without considering the consequences.
“AI is not replacing us. It is redefining what it means to be productive, creative and intelligent,” he said. “The question is no longer whether enterprises will use AI, but how wisely and responsibly they will do so by exercising courage to overcome the risk.”
As companies expand their use of AI, Ban suggested several practical steps. One is building stronger technological literacy among leadership so decision-makers understand how AI systems operate and where errors may occur. He said this knowledge helps organizations avoid misuse and anticipate risks early.
He also urged businesses to develop AI systems through open and inclusive processes. This includes checking for bias in data, protecting privacy, and evaluating how automation may affect jobs. According to Ban, these practices are essential for maintaining trust and ensuring the benefits of AI are shared more widely.
Ban said that AI can support development goals if organizations pay close attention to both opportunity and risk. He reminded the business leaders that technology should work for people, not the other way around, and that responsible leadership will determine how far AI can go in improving lives.