University of Montreal professor Yoshua Bengio will be part of a new scientific advisory council on technological advances, the creation of which was announced Thursday by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

Mr. Bengio, founder and scientific director of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, will be listed as an external member among several academics from various countries.

Announcing the creation of the new advisory board, Guterres said he believed it would strengthen the role of the United Nations “as a trusted source of data and evidence.” He said the group would provide guidance to himself and his leadership team.

“Advances in science and technology can support efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, but they can also raise political, legal and ethical issues that require multilateral solutions,” the secretary-general said in a statement.

Bengio is quoted in the statement as saying that the establishment of the council underscores “the unwavering dedication of senior UN officials to the principles of the scientific method.”

The artificial intelligence expert says he looks forward to supporting the Secretary General “to promote science-based decision-making and policies.”

According to Ismahane Elouafi, chief scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the council will play “a crucial role in navigating the complex moral, social and political questions arising from scientific and technological advances”.

The council’s primary focus will be to provide independent insights into trends at the intersection of science, technology, ethics, governance and sustainability, it said on Thursday.