AI Hub

Initiative Overview

The Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) is a committee established by the Council of Europe (CoE), which is an international organisation that aims to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. The draft convention is scheduled for completion in March 2024.

Mandate

“To establish an international negotiation process and conduct work to elaborate an appropriate legal framework on the develop democracy and the rule of law, and conducive to innovation, which can be composed of a binding legal instrument of a transversal character, including notably general common principles, as well as additional binding or non-binding instruments to address challenges relating to the application of artificial intelligence in specific sectors, in accordance with the relevant decisions of the Committee of Ministers.”

Activities

Plenary meetings will run until March 2024 when the instrument is expect to be finalised and sent to the Committee of Ministers. There are also informal meetings attended by governments between plenary sessions.

Description of forum

The European Union is currently in the final stages of negotiations on the European Union AI Act. If passed, this would be the world’s first piece of legislation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence.

The act originated from a European Commission regulation proposed in April 2021. The proposal responded to explicit requests from the European Parliament and the European Council for legislative action to ensure a well-functioning internal market for artificial intelligence systems where both benefits and risks of AI are adequately addressed at Union level. It supports the objective of the Union being a global leader in the development of secure, trustworthy and ethical artificial intelligence as stated by the European Council and ensures the protection of ethical principles as specifically requested by the European Parliament.

The aim is for EU institutions to come to an agreement ahead. of the European Parliament elections (scheduled for 6 – 9 June 2024). Together with the Coordinated Plan on AI, the EU AI act outlines a European approach to AI that “focuses on putting people first” and whole rules aim to ensure that AI develops in a way that guarantees trust, safety and fundamental rights, while also promoting excellence in innovation. The European Union has identified AI as a priority area for its work in the coming year, with the European Commission President calling for an international panel of experts similar to the IPCC on climate change to steer its development in her annual State of the European Union speech.

Mandate

As part of its digital strategy, the EU wants to regulate AI to ensure better conditions for the development and use of AI.

Activities

At this time, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and European Commission engage in inter-institutional negotiations, ‘trilogues’, to reach a provisional agreement on the legislative proposal that is acceptable to both the Parliament and the Council. Findings of AI and the Rights of the Child report will be used to implement EU strategy on the rights of the child and the EU Strategy for Better Internet for Children (BIK+), as well as the proposed EU AI Act.

Description of forum

The Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) aims to provide a mechanism for sharing multidisciplinary research and identifying key issues among AI practitioners, with the objective of facilitating international collaboration, reducing duplication, acting as a global reference point for specific AI issues, and ultimately promoting trust in and the adoption of trustworthy AI. GPAI assesses the scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant to understanding AI impacts, encouraging its responsible development and options for adaptation and mitigation of potential challenges. The Global Challenge to Build Trust in the Age of Generative AI is a flagship joint initiative of GPAI, OECD and UNESCO. The initiative is a global challenge to promote trust by equipping governments, organisations, and individuals to be resilient in the era of scalable synthetic content. This challenge will bring together technologists, policymakers, researchers, experts, and practitioners to put forth and test innovative ideas to promote trust and counter the spread of disinformation exacerbated by generative AI. Additionally, GPAI experts collaborate across four Working Groups and themes, each with their own set of projects: Responsible AI; Data Governance; Future of work; Innovation and Commercialisation.

Mandate

Putting forth and testing innovative ideas to promote trust and counter the spread of disinformation exacerbated by generative AI

Activities

The global challenge initiative takes place in three phases: Identifying promising ideas, prototype, pilot and scale; meetings and convening; GPAI working groups; annual summit; publication of reports (WG/project outputs). The GPAI also hosts an annual summit, with the next one taking place in New Delhi, India in December 2023. The GPAI will also be a collaborator on the G7 Hiroshima process.

Description of forum

The High-level multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (the Body) is being convened by the United Nations Secretary-General to undertake analysis and advance recommendations for the international governance of AI. The Body will consist of up to 32 members from governments, private sector, civil society, and academia, as well as a member Secretary. Its composition will be balanced by gender, age, geographic representation, and area of expertise related to the risks and applications of AI. The members of the Body will serve in their personal capacity. The members of the Body will be selected by the Secretary-General based on nominations from Member States and a public call for candidates. Evaluation of nominees will be conducted on the basis of the nominee’s suitability, capacity and willingness to contribute to the Advisory Body’s overall objectives. The Body will have two Co-Chairs and an Executive Committee. All stakeholder groups will be represented in the Executive Committee. The Body is convened for an initial period of one year, with the possibility of extension by the Secretary-General. The deliberations of the Body will be supported by a small secretariat based in the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and be funded by extrabudgetary donor resources.

Mandate

Providing a recommendation on the UN governance of AI. The Body’s initial reports will provide high-level expert and independent contributions to ongoing national, regional, and multilateral debates.

Description of forum

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is a specialised agency of the United Nations focusing on telecommunications. The ITU has three main areas of activity that are organised in Sectors: radiocommunications (R-Sector), telecommunications standardisation (T-Sector) and development (D-Sector). The most important event at the ITU is the Plenipotentiary Conference, which is the main decision-making body of the ITU and composed of all 193 ITU Member States. It determines the policies, direction and activities of the ITU and meets every four years. The ITU Council acts as the governing body between Plenipotentiary Conferences and meets every year to consider policy issues and the operations of the ITU. The ITU is further composed of a Secretariat, which is headed by a Secretary-General. Standards developed by the ITU and its Study Groups are entirely voluntary, but they are influential and are often adopted by states, particularly those with fewer resources or capacity at the national level.

Relevance for AI

AI is not a standalone item on the ITU’s agenda, but there are continued proposals by member states for AI to be an area where the ITU and its Study Groups develop standards. These proposals have come up in various conferences, including most recently at the ITU’s Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22) in September 2022 when delegates proposed several new resolutions on AI.

The main Resolution on AI focused on applying AI technologies for good, and recognised the ITU-T (the ITU’s standardisation body that sets standards on information and communication technologies) study group’s continuing work on AI, as well as ongoing work across UN agencies to identify practical applications of AI to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The resolution resolved that the ITU should continue its work on AI related to telecommunication and ICTs within its mandate and core competencies – including through studies, information sharing and capacity building, to foster information-sharing, and to identify collaboration opportunities with other relevant organisations and stakeholders. This resolution places a renewed focus on AI at the ITU and is likely to lead to future opportunities for engagement on AI at the forum.

Opportunities to engage

While civil society organisations can join as members of the ITU, the costs involved are significant. Non-members of the ITU are limited in their ability to participate in its work and there are only a limited number of NGOs currently engaged. Opportunities for civil society engagement mainly exist through joining or seeking to influence national delegations to ITU conferences, where this is possible.

ITU-T Focus Groups, Working Groups and Study Groups are both options available for engagement during the intersessional period. Modalities for CSO attendance and participation in these groups varies so make sure to review the guidelines and bylaws of each individual group with which you would like to engage.

Each technical sector has its own Study Groups and conferences composed of small groups of ITU member states and sector members (‘experts’) that meet every four years to review the Study Groups’ recommendations. They then develop and revise – in accordance with the outcomes of the sector level conferences – the Recommendations which inform the setting of standards. While most of the recommendation development process takes place within Study Groups, all ITU member states can input into the development of Recommendations through consultation and approval processes. 

Open consultations are also held from time to time, in addition to opportunities for engagement with national delegations, which often coordinate with civil society organisations in preparation for their own participation. 

ITU – T Study Groups of Relevance:

• SG13 Future Networks
• ​​​​​​SG3 – Tariff and accounting principles and international telecommunication/ICT economic and policy issues
• ITU-T SG20: Internet of things (IoT) and smart cities and communities (SC&C)
• ITU-T SG16: Multimedia and related digital technologies​

Focus Groups are created to augment the Study Group work programme by providing an alternative working environment for the quick development of specifications in their chosen areas. Focus Groups are widely used to address industry needs as they emerge, and when they are not covered within an existing Study Group. The key difference between Study Groups and Focus Groups is in the freedom that the latter must organise and finance themselves​. Focus Groups can be created very quickly, are usually short-lived and can choose their own working methods, leadership, financing, and types of deliverables.

ITU Focus Groups of Relevance:

• ​​ITU-T ​​Focus Group on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) for Digital Agriculture” (FG-AI4A)
• Focus Group on Machine Learning for 5G (FG-ML5G)
• Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (FG-AI4H)
• ITU-T Focus Group on Autonomous Networks (FG-AN)​​
• ITU-T Focus Group on “Environmental Efficiency for Artificial Intelligence and other Emerging Technologies” (FG-AI4EE)
• ​​ITU-T Focus Group on “Artificial Intelligence for Health” (FG-AI4H)

The ITU Council also has several Working Groups to consider general administrative and policy issues, such as child online protection and internet-related public policy issues. Different Working Groups have different membership policies, with some being open solely to ‘Sector Members,’ ITU member states, nominated experts, or all three. However, these groups may host virtual consultations, which, even if they are solely open to member state submissions, provide an opportunity for CSOs to provide input via government delegations and/or industry representatives.

ITU Council Working Groups of Relevance:

• CWG-INTERNET – INTERNATIONAL INTERNET-RELATED PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES
• CWG-WSIS&SDG

Another option is to engage with the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG). TSAG’s work is to act as an advisory body to the study groups, membership and staff of ITU-T, keeping in mind the needs of all members, from developed and developing countries, and from industry and governments. The Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group is mandated to prepare the restructuring of ITU-T study groups for the 2022-2024 study period. However, only ITU members can register to attend TSAG meetings and provide input on its work.

Starting in 2017,  the ITU has also hosted an annual Global Summit on “AI for Good.” The most recent edition took place in July 2023.

Existing outputs

The ITU has developed a global AI repository to identify AI-related projects, research initiatives, think-tanks and organisations that can accelerate progress towards the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The repository is open to all. 

In 2021, the ITU-Development sector published a report on AI and big data for development 4.0 

Description of forum

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), based in New York, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, and the only one in which all members have equal representation. It is the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. The UNGA, which is composed of six separate committees, works on a wide array of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. The Third Committee deals with social, humanitarian and human rights issues, and proposes Resolutions on these issues which are then put forward to the UNGA.

In December 2019, the UNGA adopted Resolution 74/247, which established an “an open-ended ad hoc intergovernmental committee of experts to elaborate a comprehensive international convention on countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes”. Generally referred to as the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime or AHC, the group began work in 2020 on developing strategies for member states to combat cybercrime and to ensure that adequate responses and measures are in place to fight cybercrime.

Relevance for AI

The issue of AI appears on the Third Committee’s agenda periodically, although rarely as a standalone item. The most relevant Resolution is on the right to privacy in the digital age, which is reviewed every two years. The most recent UNGA report on privacy in the digital age was in 2020, and with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights having published its “right to privacy in the digital age” report in September 2022, it is likely to be next considered at some point in 2023 – 2024.

UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions are generally non-binding towards member states, but are influential on global policy, particularly when adopted by consensus. They set expected standards for state behaviour, and even offer concrete recommendations for national policy measures.

As the scope of the final cybercrime convention is yet to be determined, the relevance of the AHC to AI is still unclear.

Opportunities to engage

The UNGA begins every September for regular sessions and may meet at other points throughout the year for special sessions or emergency special sessions. Resolutions at the UNGA usually require a simple majority vote to pass. While the opportunities for direct engagement with the UNGA are limited, it is nonetheless an important space for organisations wishing to press the UN and member states to address specific issues. For example, Resolutions at the Third Committee start off as drafts sponsored by one or more lead states. These states are sometimes referred to colloquially as the ‘pen holders’. In many cases, lead states (or main sponsors) are traditionally identified with the issue addressed in a resolution. Lead sponsors of draft resolutions generally begin preparing their texts and building support several months ahead of the Third Committee session. As part of that process, some States will seek to engage with a range of stakeholders, including potential co-sponsoring states, NGOs, etc. The following months could present an opportunity to directly engage with relevant States.

Regarding the AHC, several states will hold consultations with civil society ahead of AHC meetings, which present an opportunity to provide feedback on member states’ positions. Additionally, per the modalities of multistakeholder participation, there is scope for those with ECOSOC accreditation to participate in AHC meetings by attending in-person and/or making interventions. Organisations that do not have ECOSOC accreditation can participate in sessions as observers of formal sessions of the AHC and depending on the time available, may have the opportunity to make oral statements at the end of discussions by Member States on each substantive agenda item.

Existing outputs

• UNGA resolution on the right to privacy in the digital age (2020)
• Resolution A/C.3/77/L.38 on the Right to Privacy (2022), which calls for member states to consider the issue again in the 79th UNGA session in 2024

Important dates

Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime (AHC):

• 20 – 21 June 2023: Fifth intersessional consultation, Vienna
• 21 August – 1 September 2023: Sixth Substantive Session
• 29 January – 9 February 2024: Concluding Session 

UN General Assembly (UNGA)

• UNGA78 12 – 30 September 2023
• UNGA79 17 – 30 September 2024

Description of forum

The Human Rights Council is the principal intergovernmental forum within the United Nations for questions relating to human rights. The HRC is a separate entity from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); they have different mandates as given by the UNGA, but work closely together. HRC resolutions can include recommendations for governance of new and emerging technologies (such as AI), as well as requests for guidance from the OHCHR (such as the development of a report mapping the work and recommendations of UN bodies in new and emerging technologies, the provision of advice and technical assistance to states. This expanded OHCHR mandate could provide more opportunities for civil society engagement given the forum’s comparative openness and accessibility. However, without efforts to align the OHCHR work with that of other UN initiatives in the area of AI there is a risk of fragmented efforts within the UN human rights system – and within the UN system more broadly. The OHCHR report on technical standards and AI also included recommendations for AI. Additionally, the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism on the “Human rights implications of the development, use and transfer of new technologies in the context of counter-terrorism and countering and preventing violent extremism” included AI in its scope and recommendations.

Mandate

The HRC is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Activities

• Issuance of resolutions: (1) the New and Emerging Digital Technologies resolution (53/29) was adopted by consensus by the Human Rights Council (HRC) on July 14, 2023; (2) the Rights to Privacy in the Digital Age resolution (54/21) was reviewed during the 54th HRC session and adopted by consensus the 12th of October 2023.
• Development of guidance for member states
• Drafting reports
• Organising multistakeholder consultations

Description of forum

The Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation and advancing work towards the Global Digital Compact (GDC) proposed in the Common Agenda. 

The GDC is an UN-led initiative that aims to develop a set of guiding principles for member states on how human rights standards apply in the digital age, including on the development of system-wide guidance on human rights due diligence and impact assessments in the use of new technologies. The initiative is part of the UN’s larger goal to “protect the online space and strengthen its governance” as laid out in the Our Common Agenda report published in 2021. The GDC falls under the purview of the UN Tech Envoy’s office, which is currently led by the newly-appointed UN Tech Envoy, Amandeep Singh Gill. 

The final text is to be agreed upon at the Summit of the Future; originally scheduled for September 2023, the Summit has been postponed to September 2024 per an UNGA resolution A/76/L.87 adopted September 2022. The resolution outlines the event modalities, and notes that the Summit will be preceded by a preparatory ministerial meeting in September 2023. 

The international community – including civil society – has until March 2023 to respond to the Office’s online consultation on the Global Digital Compact as part of its development ahead of negotiations. The co-facilitators of the process, the Permanent Representatives of Rwanda and Sweden, subsequently announced a series of consultations with stakeholders from January – June 2023. Each thematic deep-dive consultation was guided by a set of guiding questions released ahead of the meeting.

After that point, stakeholder modalities for participation in the drafting and negotiation of the final text have yet to be resolved.

Relevance for AI

In June 2020 the United Nations Secretary-General issued a Roadmap for Digital Cooperation (A/74/821) which addresses how the international community can better harness the opportunities presented by digital technologies while addressing their challenges. The Roadmap identified AI as one area for key action, noting “…while interest in artificial intelligence is overwhelmingly high, there is a gap in international coordination, collaboration and governance.”

The Office has also identified AI as one of the key elements to be included in the Global Digital Compact (GDC).

The consultation on the Global Digital Compact has asked the international community to respond to the following questions:

• How can we best ensure an “open, free and secure digital future for all”?
• What shared principles should be included in the Global Digital Compact?
• Which issues should be addressed – those mentioned above in the Common Agenda report or others?
• What can and should the international community do to address them?

Opportunities to engage

In early 2022, the Envoy’s Office began the process of consulting a variety of stakeholders on the development of the GDC. The office has also opened an online consultation portal where anyone – individuals, groups, associations, organisations, entities – can provide input on what to be included in the GDC. Most recently, the office has hosted a regional roundtable discussions in Africa  that took place in Kenya in December 2022). The office has also announced plans to conduct regional roundtable in Mexico and India in 2023 (more details to come).

Stakeholder modalities for engagement in the drafting process and negotiations for the final text of the Compact remains unclear and will depend on member states’ views. However, the Tech Envoy’s Office has committed to ensuring as much multistakeholder participation in the GDC development process as possible and has offered to serve as an advocate for a more transparent and inclusive process. While ultimately, the decision on stakeholder modalities remains the purview of UN member states, there is an opportunity to engage with the Tech Envoy’s Office by sending recommendations for a more inclusive development process. Additionally, while stakeholder modalities for the Summit are still not clear, participation will surely be warranted.

In October 2022, the President of the UNGA announced the appointment of H.E. Ms. Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Neville Melvin Gertze, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Namibia to the United Nations as co-facilitators to lead consultations on the Summit of the Future during the 77th session. Outreach to the co-facilitators presents another opportunity for engagement to shape the GDC’s development.

Existing outputs

• Report of the Secretary-General: Roadmap for Digital Cooperation (June 2020)
• Background Note
• Contribute to the Global Digital Compact: A How-To Guide
• GPD Joint Input on AI (September 2022)
• Secretary-General’s Policy Brief on the Global Digital Compact (May 2023)

Description of forum

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is an UN Specialised Agency which seeks to build peace through international cooperation in education, the sciences and culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.

Based in Paris, France, UNESCO comprises 193 member states and 11 associate members, as well as partners in the nongovernmental, intergovernmental, and private sector.

Relevance for AI

UNESCO has developed and is in the process of implementing several projects and initiatives on AI as part of the implementation period of the Recommendations on the Ethics of AI, These efforts are largely overseen by the Social and Human Sciences unit of UNESCO as well as the AI & Digital Transformation team.

At the most recent General Conference in December 2021, member states adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence into which Global Partners Digital among other civil society organisations inputted. This is the first-ever global framework for ensuring that AI-driven digital transformations support human rights and was the final product of a two-year process. An analysis of the final version of the Recommendation by Global Partners Digital can be found here. This Recommendation is voluntary but highly influential.

The office has also committed to launching various initiatives as part of the implementation phase of the Recommendation.

Opportunities to engage

As part of the implementation phase of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, UNESCO spent 2022 working on a variety of new initiatives that should be launched in 2023. A few of the main initiatives include:

1. Regional Roundtables

The aim of the roundtables is to promote the implementation of the principles among governments in the region. Currently, there are plans to begin in Latin America under the supervision of the regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean based in Uruguay.

2. Readiness Impact Assessment Methodology

The Readiness Assessment Methodology will help countries understand how prepared they are to implement AI ethically and responsibly for all their citizens.

3. Ethical Impact Assessment

The Ethical Impact Assessment will help actors involved in the procurement or development of AI systems to predict consequences, mitigate risks and address societal challenges in line with the values and principles of the Recommendation. The assessment will first be piloted in Africa before being rolled out to the rest of the world,

They have also announced the upcoming launch of the following initiatives (more information to come):

• AI Experts without Borders

• The Global Network of Knowledge Centres on Ethics of AI

• Women in AI Ethics Network

At the regional level, UNESCO began implementation on initiatives in both the African and South American continents in 2022. At the Southern African sub-Regional Forum on AI held in September 2022, UNESCO showcased the prototypes of the readiness assessment tools and the ethical impact assessment. They also launched a Southern African coordination mechanism for the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

In South America, UNESCO has signed a letter of intent to work with the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America on supporting the creation of a Regional Council that will include the local and national governments of the region. The Council will develop methodologies, guides and training programmes to facilitate the implementation of the AI recommendations. UNESCO also signed a letter of intent with Telefónica to develop joint public-private initiatives that promote and implement the recommendations.

UNESCO also-specific initiatives aimed at supporting regional governments in their implementation of the Recommendations. Thus far, they have announced initiatives in the following countries:

• Colombia

• Mexico

• El Salvador

In addition to such project-based engagement opportunities, there are also opportunities to engage in regular UNESCO meetings and conferences. For example, every two years UNESCO hosts a General Conference, attended by member states, Associate Members, intergovernmental organisations and NGOs. The General Conference determines the policies and the main lines of work of the Organization. Its duty is to set the programmes and the budget of UNESCO. It also elects the Members of the Executive Board and appoints, every four years, the Director-General.

4. Partnership with the European Union

In June 2023, UNESCO announced a new partnership with the European Commission, which will provide €4 million funding with the aim of “supporting the least developed countries in the establishment of their national legislation.” These new initiatives may present additional opportunities for CSO engagement in the implementation of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. 

Concrete deliverables include:

• Establishment and operationalisation of a global facility of experts, “AI Ethics Experts without Borders” (AIEB), to provide on-demand support and tailored policy advice to enhance the capacity of Member States’ institutions to implement the Recommendation
• Delivery of an annual “Global Forum on the Ethics of AI” as a platform for structured learning and sharing of global best practices among AI stakeholders worldwide
• Development of a toolkit for judicial operators on AI

In addition to such project-based engagement opportunities, there are also opportunities to engage in regular UNESCO meetings and conferences. For example, every two years UNESCO hosts a General Conference, attended by member states, Associate Members, intergovernmental organisations and NGOs. The General Conference determines the policies and the main lines of work of the Organization. Its duty is to set the programmes and the budget of UNESCO. It also elects the Members of the Executive Board and appoints, every four years, the Director-General. 

Existing outputs

• Revised first draft Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (transmitted September 2020 to Member States)
• Final Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (December 2021)
• Multistakeholder AI development: 10 building blocks for inclusive policy design (April 2022)
• 7 September 2022: UNESCO’s Comic strip “Inside AI – An Algorithmic Adventure”
•  Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Competencies for Civil Servants Framework (September 2022)
• Publication of the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and Ethical Impact Assessment (7 June)
• Missing links in AI governance Report (2023)
• The risks and challenges of neurotechnologies for human rights (2023)