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IGF 2022 WS #321 Engaging CSOs on the Council of Europe's AI Proposal

    Organizer 1: Ian Barber, Global Partners Digital
    Organizer 2: Jacqueline Rowe, Global Partners Digital
    Organizer 3: Francesca Fanucci, European Center For Not-For-Profit Law (ECNL)

    Speaker 1: Adeboye Adegoke, Civil Society, African Group
    Speaker 2: Michel Souza, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
    Speaker 3: Francesca Fanucci, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Moderator

    Jacqueline Rowe, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Online Moderator

    Ian Barber, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Rapporteur

    Ian Barber, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Format

    Panel - Auditorium - 60 Min

    Policy Question(s)


    To what extent have the Council of Europe’s ongoing efforts to develop a regulatory framework on AI been informed by civil society engagement?

    What are the global implications of the potential regulatory framework for human rights?

    How can we foster meaningful engagement by all relevant stakeholders, including those outside of Europe, in the development of the regulatory framework?

    Connection with previous Messages: The session proposal builds on several of the IGF 2021 Messages, specifically:

    -Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs to be developed and deployed in manners that allow it to be as inclusive as possible, non-discriminatory, auditable and rooted into democratic principles, the rule of law and human rights.
    -There is a necessity to strengthen the multistakeholder approach, in order to be truly inclusive and to develop effective policies that respond to the needs of citizens, build trust and meet the demands of the rapidly changing global digital environment. The most powerful stakeholders - governments and private companies - are responsible for ensuring that civil society actors are able to meaningfully contribute to these processes.

    It will advocate for a multi stakeholder and human rights-based approach to AI governance and discuss the importance of these approaches in the context of the Council of Europe’s ongoing efforts to develop a regulatory framework on AI. It will advance these messages by providing a platform for relevant actors to discuss and begin working towards their realisation.

    SDGs

    16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    16.10
    16.7


    Targets: The session links directly with goal 16, namely 16.7 and 16.10. The proposal will address the need to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making on AI at various levels. It will also work towards ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms with respect to AI, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.

    Description:

    This session will examine the Council of Europe’s ongoing efforts to develop a regulatory framework on AI and highlight the need for meaningful engagement by civil society. This session will serve as an opportunity for various stakeholders, including government representatives and civil society organisations from within and outside of Europe to share perspectives on AI governance and reflect on the global implications of the potential regulatory framework.

    Expected Outcomes

    We anticipate that the session will prompt a meaningful discussion on the global implications of the proposed regulatory framework for all stakeholders and the need for further collaboration and engagement by civil society actors from across the globe. While we do not expect there to be a concrete output of the session, it will help to inform government representatives in the Council of Europe’s Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) of the perspectives of other stakeholders. We believe it will feed into broader efforts to ensure a truly inclusive and rights-respecting approach to AI governance, and serve as a springboard for action with respect to the Council of Europe’s potential regulatory framework on AI.

    Hybrid Format: We anticipate that speakers will be online speakers, but we will ensure interaction between onsite and online attendees by requesting questions and comments throughout the session. The moderators will coordinate and play an active role by encouraging questions on specific themes, and posing questions directly to the panellists. We will make use of other tools, if available, such as polls, to engage the audience and solicit input from attendees. We will also set aside the final 20 minutes for questions.

    The design of the session will ensure the best possible experience for online and onsite participants as it will build in time for input by participants. We intend to monitor the chat function throughout the session.

    Online Participation



    Usage of IGF Official Tool.