193 member states adopted the first global normative instrument on AI ethics at the 41st General Conference, with values, principles and eleven policy action areas and a readiness assessment methodology for implementation.
Governments use the readiness assessment to shape national AI strategies; organisations can use its ethical impact assessment.
Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial IntelligenceUNESCO · 23 Nov 2021
AIPolicyTracker (2026). “UNESCO member states adopt the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI”. https://aipolicytracker.org/changes/2021-11-23-unesco-ethics-recommendation (accessed 27 September 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.
Cite the official text alongside it: Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, UNESCO, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137.
Informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult qualified counsel before acting.
