Organizer 1: Sabine Witting, Leiden University
    Organizer 2: Melody Musoni, ECDPM

    Speaker 1: Gianclaudio Malgieri, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 2: Lufuno T Tshikalange, Private Sector, African Group
    Speaker 3: Jenny Domino, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 4: Armando José Manzueta Peña, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

    Moderator

    Melody Musoni, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Online Moderator

    Sabine Witting, Technical Community, African Group

    Rapporteur

    Sabine Witting, Technical Community, African Group

    Format

    Theater
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: The workshop will provide a voice to expert speakers from various Global South contexts, including Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Asia. All regions face unique socioeconomic challenges in the context of AI governance and will be given the opportunity to share their perspectives and views. The expert speaker from Europe will share the regulatory perspectives of the EU and the Council of Europe to discuss whether and why Global South countries might choose different AI governance models. Considering the need to contextualise the different regulatory approaches to ensure participants with limited background knowledge of the different socioeconomic backgrounds can follow the discussion, we want to allow for sufficient time for speakers to provide this insight. Lastly, we believe that there is an urgent need for an open discussion with the audience on the subject matter, hence a 90min session will create sufficient space for this.

    Policy Question(s)

    1. What regulatory approaches to AI are being adopted by the Global South and do these approaches advance the protection of human rights? 2. What challenges are being faced by the Global South in developing their AI governance frameworks? 3. What are the implications of different regulatory approaches on AI development and deployment in the Global South?

    What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory landscape for AI in the Global South, including insights into priorities, current challenges, innovative approaches, and empowerment strategies. By contrasting regulatory frameworks in the Global South with those in the Global North, attendees will gain valuable insights into best practices and lessons learned in developing context specific AI regulation. With a diverse range of esteemed speakers representing five regions, participants will be exposed to vastly diverse economic, societal and legal contexts. The workshop will also provide a platform for networking and collaboration among stakeholders, fostering dialogue and potential partnerships for advancing human rights based and inclusive AI governance globally. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how regulatory frameworks can empower communities, drive innovation, and ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies in diverse socio-economic contexts.

    Description:

    This workshop looks into regulating artificial intelligence (AI) governance for the Global South. The Global North has already carved out a path on AI governance through developing the “AI Ethical Principles” emphasizing transparency, fairness, and accountability and focusing on minimising the harms to human rights. If Global South countries had not been part of the conversations on global AI governance, do they see the current AI principles aligning with their own cultural values and contexts? Global South countries have not established comprehensive regulatory frameworks for AI yet. Developments in the Global North, especially the European Union, will influence how Global South countries develop their AI laws (Brussels effect 2.0). Another alternative is that Global South countries will approach AI regulation from an entirely different angle. In both cases, it is worth exploring the different pathways to AI regulation and whether the chosen regulatory approaches promote Sustainable Development Goals, and is tailored to their economic, societal and legal contexts. The workshop will give insight into the regulatory frameworks to AI in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia by using concrete examples of regulatory efforts. The workshop will emphasize the need for tailored regulatory frameworks that address the unique challenges and priorities of the Global South. A key theme will be how the Global South can benefit from the unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional stages of development while minimising the apparent risks for human rights violations associated with AI. The workshop will hereby contribute to the second and fourth IGF 2024 themes. The workshop will be set up as panel discussion with recognised AI experts from Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The workshop will ensure diverse gender representation amongst speakers. The panellists represent a diverse range of stakeholders, including academia, Government, Think Tanks and private sector.

    Expected Outcomes

    The workshop aims to generate actionable insights and recommendations for policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders in the Global South on effective AI regulation. Key expected outcomes include: 1. Policy Brief: Development of a Policy Brief with concrete policy recommendations tailored to the socio-economic contexts of the Global South, promoting innovation, empowerment, and human rights-based AI practices. 2. Knowledge Sharing: Exchange of experiences, best practices, and lessons learned between participants from different regions, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse regulatory approaches. 3. Collaborative Opportunities: Identification of potential collaboration opportunities among stakeholders to address common challenges and promote inclusive AI governance. 4. Awareness and Advocacy: Increased awareness and advocacy for the importance of human rights-based AI regulation in the Global South, highlighting its role in driving sustainable development and addressing societal challenges

    Hybrid Format: To facilitate interaction between onsite and online participants, we will ensure that all speakers, whether onsite or online, have access to high-quality audiovisual equipment to enable clear communication. Further, we will designate a dedicated online moderator who will actively manage the flow of the discussion, ensuring equitable participation from both onsite and online speakers. The on-site moderator will have a laptop next to her and will be supported by an offsite moderator who will feed her questions from the Zoom chat from the audience. To enhance the experience for online participants, we will provide real-time interpretation services and encourage active participation through breakout sessions and virtual networking opportunities. Complementary online platforms such as Zoom will be utilized to facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among all participants, with technical support available throughout the session to address any connectivity issues promptly.