The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming social, economic, and political relations on a global scale. Aware of the risks associated with this technological revolution—such as violations of fundamental rights, the normalization of the use of force, and the intensification of international tensions—the United Nations has, for several years, sought to structure the global governance of AI. The organization aims to position itself as a central normative actor, considering that current initiatives remain fragmented and competitive, and that only collective regulation can limit potential abuses, particularly in the security and military domains.
Alongside this normative ambition, the UN is itself integrating AI and data-driven technologies into its own practices, especially in peace operations (POs). The growing use of digital data, combined with new computing and analytical capabilities, has fostered the idea that the behavior of actors in the field of peace operations can be better anticipated in order to strengthen violence prevention. However, these initiatives often remain ad hoc or experimental, and the modalities of their use are still unclear, raising critical issues related to ethics, operational effectiveness, and alignment with the objectives and mandates of missions.
The organization thus faces a delicate situation: promoting ambitious international regulation while simultaneously adopting an exemplary stance through the careful oversight of its own internal use of the tools it deploys. This study analyzes this dual dynamic by examining, on the one hand, the UN’s normative strategies and, on the other, the concrete practices of data collection, use, and (sometimes automated) analysis in peace operations, notably through the SAGE and Unite Aware systems. Finally, it explores the challenges inherent in introducing these technologies into peace operations and the potential impact they may have on the legitimacy of the United Nations in the fields of peacekeeping and global AI governance.
This content was originally published in French in March 2026. Please see L’ONU à la croisée des chemins : gouverner les technologies numériques qui intègrent l’IA tout en les utilisant dans ses opérations de paix.
Antoine Younsi est chargé de recherche au sein du GRIP depuis mars 2024. Il est titulaire d’un master de sociologie, parcours « sociétés, pouvoirs et représentations », effectué à l’Université de Bordeaux. Actuellement, il termine son doctorat de relations internationales à l’ULB, qui porte sur les régimes d’actions « contre-terroristes » au Mali. Ses domaines d’expertise portent sur les problématiques relatives aux interventions militaires au Sahel, à l’usage de la force dans les conflits armés contemporains, aux relations civilo-militaires en France, ainsi qu’au rapport entre l’évolution des technologies et des pratiques guerrières.