Session
Holistic AI
Ella Shoup, Holistic AI, Private Sector, Western European and Others (WEOG)
Siddhant Chatterjee, Holistic AI, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Nikitha Anand, Holistic AI, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
The speakers for this event will be confirmed closer to the date of the IGF in December. We will endeavour to gather a range of domain experts across Global North and South contexts, spanning representation across civil society, government, academia and industry. We are currently confirming speakers who will be in attendance in person at the IGF.
Nikitha Anand
Nikitha Anand
Nikitha Anand
17.14
17.6
17.8
Targets: Our Day-0 event combines the themes found throughout SDG 17, which primarily focuses on revitalizing inclusive and equal global partnerships to realize sustainable development. By stimulating conversation on how Global North-South alignment on AI regulation, we can ensure that the IGF and its stakeholders are well-prepared for the next advancements in the emerging technology and consequently, better prepared to develop and use policy mechanisms.
Classroom
At the start of the session, participants will be asked to share their understandings of the biggest AI risks and harms facing their respective countries and/or industries. This will be done using the online platform Mentimeter to crowd-source this information.
Once this information is collated, there will be an interactive discussion with the audience conducted by the co-moderators.
AI is becoming increasingly integral to various aspects of our lives, but its adoption introduces multiple risks. These risks have already resulted in significant socioeconomic harm, and the widespread use of the technology has the potential to fundamentally change how we live and work. These risks can manifest at both the model level, including security vulnerabilities, algorithmic bias, and privacy concerns, and in terms of human and societal interaction, such as ethical considerations and institutional culture. Consequently, AI governance has gained prominence as a proactive measure to monitor AI systems, ensuring safety and security, with legislation being enacted to ensure regulatory compliance.
However, there is a noticeable lack of consensus and alignment in how AI risks are perceived and addressed across different jurisdictions. Countries have varying understandings, articulations, and prioritizations of AI-related risks, the purpose of AI regulation, and the current and future impacts of AI technology at local and global scales.
Various formal mechanisms, such as regulations, guidelines, and standards, have been implemented to mitigate AI risks and harms. However, these mechanisms often originate from countries with greater socio-technical investments and capabilities, primarily situated in Global North contexts where technology understanding, and development are more advanced.
As a result, certain issues have yet to receive widespread attention. For instance, addressing AI bias through regulatory measures often overlooks the diversity of demographics and cultural norms prevalent in Global Majority contexts. Enforcement frameworks crafted by entities like the European Union and the United States may not be suitable for countries seeking to implement similar policies within their own contexts. Moreover, the broader societal impacts of AI development and deployment are not fully considered, with regulatory measures concerning ethical data annotation and enrichment practices often absent from emerging frameworks, despite being conducted by low-wage workers in Global South contexts. It is imperative to develop globally representative, nuanced, and equitable approaches to AI governance, considering these and many other factors.
While there may (and should) be structural reasons and differing predicaments for the divergence in AI governance across jurisdictions, there is a growing need for alignment between countries to prevent exacerbating these harms, necessitating deeper knowledge sharing.
As such, this session intends to be an open-ended discussion about these issues and bring together diverse opinions to further a shared understanding. We do not intend to provide a set of prescriptive solutions, rather seeking to ignite a series of starting questions to provoke further nuanced discourse in this arena.
After this session, participants will walk away with a greater understanding of the multiple perspectives surrounding the risks and harms associated with AI, as well as what shared actions can be taken towards enhancing AI regulation.
Prior to IGF, organizers will use the session’s page on the IGF website and social media channels to share informative and preparatory materials to help the audience better contextualize the topic.
Holistic AI will be taking questions during the Q&A from both the in-person and online audience. The online moderator will be active throughout the livestream to manage incoming questions and point the online participants to further resources.