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The panel addressed the challenge of creating truly inclusive and effective global governance frameworks.
The panel, moderated by Henri Verdier, French Ambassador for Digital Affairs, brought together President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Creative Commons CEO Anna Tumadóttir.
A key theme emerged throughout the discussion: the urgent need to prevent a "race to the bottom" in AI regulation while ensuring developing nations have a voice in shaping AI's future. President Assoumani, drawing from his experience as African Union chair, emphasized that "countries of the global South, particularly Africa, are calling for truly inclusive AI governance." He stressed that AI must be managed rather than allowing it to manage us.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Vieira delivered a stark warning about the consequences of concentrated AI power: "If left unchecked in the hands of a few, the artificial intelligence revolution could have serious consequences for our democratic systems." He emphasized that what's illegal offline should be illegal online, asserting that no company, regardless of size, should be above national laws.
WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala brought an economic perspective, highlighting both opportunities and risks. She cited research suggesting AI could add $16 trillion to the global economy by 2030 and increase trade by 14 percentage points – but only with near-universal adoption. "If we have uneven adoption, with countries of the global South left behind, the benefits of AI diminish significantly and inequality deepens," she warned.
Anna Tumadóttir of Creative Commons emphasized the crucial role of civil society in AI governance. "When you are in a room with only the people building the technology and regulating the technology, something is missing," she noted. She also challenged the concept of "global" AI governance, suggesting instead a need for collaborative governance that acknowledges different contexts, needs, and languages.
The discussion highlighted several key priorities for effective AI governance:
- Inclusivity: Ensuring developing nations have meaningful participation in shaping AI governance frameworks
- Sovereignty: Maintaining countries' ability to enforce their laws in the digital sphere
- Infrastructure: Addressing basic needs like electricity and internet access in developing regions
- Regulatory Harmony: Preventing harmful fragmentation while respecting national differences
- Civil Society Engagement: Incorporating diverse perspectives beyond just technology builders and regulators
The panel emphasized that while regulatory fragmentation poses risks to innovation and trade, any governance framework must balance global coordination with local needs and sovereignty. As Verdier noted, citing Kranzberg's First Law: "Technology is not good, nor bad, neither neutral."
The discussion concluded with a call for practical action beyond just dialogue. Tumadóttir shared lessons from Creative Commons' experience in creating globally applicable standards while respecting local contexts, suggesting similar approaches might work for AI governance.
The message was clear: successful AI governance requires moving beyond Western-centric approaches to create truly inclusive frameworks that work for all nations while protecting democratic values and sovereignty. As President Assoumani concluded, "We must manage artificial intelligence; we must not let it manage us."
