العالم ليس مستعدًا للوفاة القومية الذاتية

(SeaPRwire) –   Imagine waking up to find the internet flickering, card payments failing, ambulances going to the wrong address, and emergency broadcasts you no longer trust. Whether caused by a model malfunction, criminal use, or an escalating cyber shock, an AI-driven crisis can spread across borders quickly.

In many cases, the first signs of an AI emergency will likely look like a general outage or security failure. Only later, if at all, will it become clear that AI systems played a significant role.

Some governments and companies have started to set up guardrails to manage such an emergency. The European Union AI Act, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology risk framework, the G7 Hiroshima process, and international technical standards all aim to prevent harm. Cybersecurity agencies and infrastructure operators also have procedures for hacking attempts, outages, and routine system failures. What’s missing isn’t the technical playbook for patching servers or restoring networks. It’s the plan to prevent social panic and a breakdown in trust, diplomacy, and basic communication if AI is at the center of a fast-moving crisis.

Preventing an AI emergency is only half the battle. The other half of AI governance is preparedness and response. Who decides when an AI incident becomes an international emergency? Who communicates with the public when false messages flood their feeds? Who keeps channels open between governments if normal lines are disrupted?

Governments must and can develop AI emergency response plans before it’s too late. In upcoming research based on disaster law and lessons from other global emergencies, I will explore how existing international rules already contain elements for an AI playbook. Governments already have the legal tools, but now need to agree on how and when to use them. We don’t need new, complex institutions to oversee AI—we just need governments to plan ahead.

How to Prepare for an AI Emergency

We’ve seen this governance model before. The International Health Regulations allow the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency and coordinate action. Nuclear accident treaties require immediate notification if radiation could spread across borders. Telecommunications agreements remove legal barriers so emergency satellite equipment can be activated quickly. Cybercrime conventions establish 24/7 contact points so police forces can cooperate at short notice. The lessons show that pre-agreed triggers, designated coordinators, and fast communication channels save time in an emergency.

An AI emergency needs the same foundation. Start with a shared definition. An AI emergency should be an extraordinary event caused by the development, use, or malfunction of AI that poses a risk of severe cross-border harm and exceeds any single country’s ability to handle it. Crucially, it must also cover situations where AI involvement is suspected or one of several possible causes so that governments can act before forensic certainty is established, if at all. Most incidents will never reach that level. Agreeing on the definition in advance helps avoid paralysis in the first critical hours.

Next, governments need a practical playbook. The first element of this playbook should be defining a common set of triggers and a basic severity scale so officials know when to escalate from a routine incident to an international alert, including criteria for determining when AI involvement is only credibly suspected rather than conclusively proven. The second chapter should name a global coordinator who can convene quickly, supported by technical experts, law enforcement partners, and disaster specialists. The third part should be establishing interoperable incident reporting systems so countries and companies can exchange essential information in minutes, not days. Next, we must create crisis communication protocols using authenticated, analog methods like radio. Finally, we must write a clear list of continuity and containment measures. These may include slowing high-risk AI services or switching critical infrastructure to manual control.

Structuring AI Emergency Preparedness

So, who should oversee these AI emergency preparedness initiatives? My answer: the United Nations.

Placing this system within the UN structure is important for several reasons. One is that an AI emergency doesn’t respect alliances. A UN-based mechanism offers broader inclusion and reduces duplication among rival coalitions. It provides technical assistance to countries without advanced AI capabilities so the burden isn’t shouldered by a few major powers. It adds legitimacy and accountability. Extraordinary powers must be lawful, proportionate, and reviewable, especially when they involve digital networks used by billions of people.

This international layer must be complemented by domestic steps governments can take now. Every country should designate a 24/7 AI emergency contact point. Emergency powers should be reviewed to see if they cover AI infrastructure. Sector plans should align with basic incident management and business continuity standards. Joint exercises should practice disinformation campaigns, model failures, and cross-sector outages. Migration to post-quantum cryptography should be prioritized before a hostile attack forces such an update. Governments should also register trusted senders and alert templates so messages can still reach citizens when systems are unstable.

These precautions are necessary. Reported AI-related cyberattacks are on the rise, and many countries have already experienced smaller outages, data manipulation attempts, and disinformation surges that hint at what a larger event could look like. Moreover, a fast-moving AI failure combined with today’s hyper-connected infrastructure can create a crisis that no single country can handle alone.

This isn’t a call for a new global super agency. It’s a call to integrate existing elements into a coherent response. We need an AI emergency playbook that borrows these tools and practices them.

The measure of AI governance will be how we respond on our worst day. Currently, the world has no plan for an AI emergency—but we can create one. We must build it now, test it, and enshrine it in law with safeguards, because once the next crisis hits, it will be too late.