The United Nations University (UNU) Macau AI Conference 2025 convened on Friday at the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai, attracting over 500 participants from more than 30 countries.
Held under the theme “AI for Humanity: Building an Equitable Digital Future,” the conference was a flagship event of the three-day UNU Macau Milestone Series, celebrating both the UN’s 80th and the UNU’s 50th anniversaries. The event was sponsored by the Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG).
According to a statement from UNU Macau, the one-day conference featured more than 150 speakers and 30 sessions selected from nearly 300 global submissions. The statement noted that keynote speakers provided a “clear framework for AI development that balances ethical imperatives with practical deployment, reinforcing the importance of global cooperation and regional leadership.”
The conference was structured around three thematic pillars: “AI Research for Narrowing the Digital Divide,” “Inclusiveness and Capacity Building in the AI Era,” and “Navigating the AI Ecosystem through Synergies and Interdisciplinary Innovation.”
Macau’s emergence as a regional AI hub was underscored in sessions such as “AI-powered Applications in Macau” and the “Galaxy Entertainment Group Presents UNU Macau AI Conference 2025 Session: AI + Youth.” The latter showcased “four pioneering initiatives that place young people at the centre of inclusive, ethical, and accessible AI education and governance.”
A major highlight of the conference was the launch of the UNU Book Series on Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development, published in collaboration with Springer, part of Springer Nature*.
The statement included remarks from several speakers:
UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala emphasised the need for inclusive governance frameworks that safeguard human dignity while enabling technological progress. “These events form a cohesive platform to convene ideas, transfer knowledge to younger generations, and catalyse AI-driven solutions for the challenges we face, from climate resilience to digital inclusion, from governance to education.”
UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies Amandeep Singh Gill stated, “Together, these milestones remind us that our shared progress must be anchored in shared purpose, global responsibility and a long-term vision.”
GEG Director Philip Cheng Yee Sing said, “As part of Macau’s integrated tourism and leisure industry, we are committed to advancing smart technologies that drive innovation across the sector.”
UNU Macau Director Huang Jingbo highlighted the conference’s success in featuring diverse voices from academia, the private sector, governments, the UN, and civil society, particularly from the Global South.
Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) Administrative Committee President Vincent U U Sang described the event as “a platform for strategic dialogue, and for shaping technologies for a better future.”
*Springer Nature is the parent company, one of the world’s largest and most respected academic publishing groups. Springer is a major publishing brand within that group. - DeepSeek
UNU Macau Director Huang Jingbo delivers a speech on Friday at Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai.
UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala delivers his opening remarks on Friday at the GICC. - Photos provided by United Nations University (UNU) Macau
