In a historic summit in Geneva, representatives from 40 nations, including the UK, US, and EU members, have signed the 'Geneva Tech Accord,' establishing the first legally binding international framework for the ethical development of artificial intelligence.

The accord mandates that all AI systems deployed in public services must undergo 'human impact assessments' and includes a total ban on autonomous lethal weapons. It also establishes a global fund to help developing nations build safe AI infrastructure.

"Today we have chosen to put human dignity before technical speed," said the UN Secretary-General. "This is the most significant step toward global digital safety in the history of the internet."

While China and Russia were notable absentees from the initial signing, negotiators expressed optimism that a secondary protocol could be reached with those nations by the year's end.