IGF 2025 Open Forum #71 Advancing Rights-Respecting AI Governance and Digital Inclusion through G7 and G20

As data-driven technologies such as AI rapidly become general purpose technologies and data driven solutions such as Digital Public Infrastructures (DPI) infuse contemporary economies, public services, and civic spaces. Global cooperation is required to mitigate heightened risk and amplification of existing inequalities.  

Despite growing attention from multilateral fora such as the G7 and G20, AI policies often exclude meaningful participation from the Global Majority—countries most impacted by AI-driven change are least represented in decision-making, as highlighted in the UN Global Digital Compact. On the other hand, but also cited in the GDC and arising directly from the Indian G20 Presidency, Digital Public Infrastructure has emerged, as an integrated data infrastructure, to deal with post pandemic economic and social reconstruction and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. 

This session brings together representatives from civil society, government, the private sector, and technical communities to explore how the G7 and G20 can collaboratively support data driven technologies and systems that are rights-respecting, equitably accessible, and globally inclusive. Drawing on case studies and lived experiences from Africa, Latin America and Asia, participants will examine how the uneven distribution of not only harms, but also economic opportunity can be redressed through global governance, enabling a trusted environment and effective regulation to ensure better development and distribution of infrastructure and tools.
Through participatory dialogue, the session will identify actionable pathways to embed human rights, transparency, equitable economic opportunities, and community agency in AI design, governance and outcomes—ensuring the benefits of AI are equitably shared and shaped by those historically excluded from global decision-making.
The session will follow a hybrid roundtable format with structured thematic segments focused on:

1. Rights-respecting AI development, including enabling economic participation
2. Digital public infrastructure and equitable access and use 
3. Inclusive governance in the G7/G20 digital cooperation agendas

Speakers will address guiding questions followed by reactions from stakeholder representatives and an interactive Q&A with online and in-person participants.

Outcomes will contribute to ongoing G7 and G20 deliberations and generate policy recommendations for inclusion in the IGF synthesis document, research briefs, and advocacy strategies.