IGF 2025 WS #51 Resilience of IoT / AI Systems that serve vulnerable groups

    Organizer 1: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Organizer 2: Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Organizer 3: Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 1: Godsway Kubi, Technical Community, African Group
    Speaker 2: Steven VOSLOO, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization
    Speaker 3: Hiroshi Esaki, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 4: Jonathan Cave, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Format
    Roundtable
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: • Introduction (10 minutes) • Panel Discussion (30 minutes) Panelists from DC IoT, DC CRIDE, healthcare experts, and community representatives will discuss current solutions and challenges in ensuring resilience for children and the elderly in IoT and AI ecosystems. o Redundancy and offline data processing mechanisms for healthcare IoT systems designed for elderly care. o Ensuring educational IoT tools for children can function in low-connectivity areas. o How edge computing and local AI systems can help maintain functionality when cloud or internet services are unavailable. o The ethical and privacy considerations for IoT/AI systems used in children's and elderly care. • Interactive Discussion (40 minutes) A facilitated discussion with the participants, focusing on sector-specific challenges (e.g., healthcare, education) and potential solutions for resilience in IoT and AI systems. The session will encourage a conversation around policies and community-led efforts to support these vulnerable groups. • Conclusion (10 minutes)
    Policy Question(s)
    1. How can IoT and AI-based ecosystems for children or elderly be made resilient against failures in internet connectivity or technology functionality? 2. What specific measures should be implemented to protect children and the elderly when technology failures occur in IoT and AI-powered systems? 3. How can IoT and AI be used to enhance the resilience of healthcare, safety, and education systems during disruptions? 4. What role do policies, standards, and best practices play in ensuring IoT/AI systems are resilient? 5. How can community engagement and local innovations contribute to building resilience in IoT and AI systems?
    What will participants gain from attending this session? This session aims to address the critical need for resilience in IoT and AI systems designed for and used by children and the elderly. By focusing on policy frameworks, technological innovations, and community engagement, we can ensure these ecosystems remain functional and supportive, even during technology or connectivity failures. The session will bring together key stakeholders to discuss and develop solutions for more inclusive, robust, and sustainable IoT/AI systems for vulnerable populations.
    Description:

    As IoT and AI technologies continue to advance, they play an increasingly critical role in enhancing the lives of children and the elderly—two of the most vulnerable groups in society. From smart healthcare devices to AI-driven education tools, these technologies have the potential to significantly improve access to essential services beneficial for everyday life. However, the heavy reliance on these technologies raises concerns regards their robustness and their resilience towards connectivity failures caused by a power outage or shut-down. This session will address strategies and best practices developed by the Dynamic Coalition on the Internet of Things (DC IoT) and the Dynamic Coalition on Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment (DC CRIDE) to ensure that IoT and AI systems both designed for and used by children or elderly remain robust, resilient, equitable, and functional, even when technology or connections fail. The debate will explore whether IoT and AI systems should be adaptable to special user groups capabilities to detect and respond to different potential failure modes and will draw conclusions in regard of increasing reliance of society on IoT and AI systems that might fail – giving special attention to potentially vulnerable groups.
    Expected Outcomes
    1. Actionable Recommendations: Clear steps for improving the resilience of IoT and AI systems for children and the elderly during connectivity failures or disruptions. 2. Increased Awareness: Enhanced understanding among policymakers, tech developers, and civil society about the importance of designing resilient, inclusive systems for children and the elderly. 3. Collaboration Opportunities: Strengthened partnerships between policymakers, tech developers, and community-driven initiatives to improve the resilience of IoT and AI systems for these groups.
    Hybrid Format: To make sure participants can bring forward their own perspective an overview on papers regards will be made available in advance via the IGF program website. The round table format will allow for all participants to speak in the session, onsite and online, supported by one moderator taking care of the chat as an additional channel for input. After a short introduction 30 minutes will be dedicated for input from the key speakers. Then 40 minutes are foreseen for interaction between all participants, where all will be advised to limit their input to really short statements. Eventually 10 minutes are reserved for wrap-up and concluding observations towards the aimed for roadmap. The moderator will adhere to a strict time management and encourage all participants to take the floor. During the sessions all participants are encouraged to give feedback to several aspects of the workshop by a digital tool.