UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais has called for artificial intelligence to be used to bring cultures closer together, stressing the need for oversight.
Report informs that she made the remarks at the Seventh World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku.
"If we want technologies to bring cultures closer together, we cannot leave their development to chance. We must help shape this process," she said.
Al Nowais said UN Tourism's work on AI focuses not only on how quickly new technologies are adopted in the tourism sector, but also on who benefits from them.
She recalled that the organisation's member states adopted the Riyadh Declaration in 2025, affirming the need to use technology for people's well-being. Achieving this goal requires investment in skills, infrastructure and responsible governance.
"The real test lies ahead: turning these principles into concrete results," the secretary-general stressed.
She said UN Tourism is working with governments to develop a strategic roadmap that takes account of their needs and readiness to adopt AI. Azerbaijan has also joined this process.
The organisation is expanding access to training to help tourism workers and small businesses adapt to the changes. Through its Innovation Office in Rabat, UN Tourism is also helping African countries develop their own technological solutions.
Al Nowais stressed that adopting new technologies must not cause local communities to lose control over how their culture and history are presented.
In this context, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics is examining the use of AI in relation to human rights, privacy and the well-being of local communities.