AI Governance: Finding the way forward

Ahead of the next AI for Good summit organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the dedicated pre-summit AI Governance Day zeroes in on questions about moving the guardrails for artificial intelligence (AI) development from principles to practice.

By Robert F. Trager, Director, Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative; Senior Research Fellow, Blavatnik School of Government; International Governance Lead, Centre for the Governance of AI.

At last year’s AI for Good Global summit, the ITU Secretary-General called for “guardrails to ensure AI is safe, responsible and inclusive.”

As the speed of innovation races forward in the field of AI, the transition from principles to actionable governance presents a challenge. These principles, while vital, have predominantly remained at a high level, often too abstract in their application for direct application in the ever-evolving AI landscape.

Recently, a significant shift has been observed, as regulatory bodies worldwide have begun to codify these principles into concrete regulations, creating foreseeable regulatory pressure on the development of AI.

For example, China has instituted an Algorithm Registry, and in October 2023, the President of the United States issued an “Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.”

The European Union AI Act has gone furthest in taking positions: it is set to enter into force later this year and to become progressively enforceable over a 36-month period.

Now, the global community is gearing up for “AI Governance Day” on 29 May, the day preceding this year’s AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

What is AI Governance Day?

This important event will spotlight the status of worldwide efforts to shape the future of AI regulation – and host discussions on implementation strategies that are key to ensuring the AI race leaves no one behind.

It will span a full day of interactive sessions, insightful discussions, and networking opportunities.

With a focus on fostering collaboration among prominent stakeholders, AI Governance Day will provide a platform for government ministers, regulators, industry leaders, civil society, and UN representatives to engage in meaningful dialogue and chart the course for effective AI governance frameworks.

As the day opens, ministers and regulators will tackle key questions such as:

• What is the landscape of AI governance, and how will it evolve?
• How do we implement AI governance frameworks?
• How do we ensure inclusion and trust?

Participants in those morning sessions (by invitation or for Summit Leaders Pass holders) can expect thought-provoking conversations on topics ranging from the evolving landscape of AI governance to the practical implementation of regulatory frameworks.

Bringing AI governance discussions into focus

Afternoon sessions, open to the public, will feature distinguished speakers and thought leaders, including high-level government officials to representatives from leading international organizations, reporting on the morning’s outcomes and providing the state of play of major global AI governance processes.

The focus of the whole day is how to move AI governance forward “from principles to practice.”

The public is invited to join key debates on the following topics:

The government’s AI dilemma: How to maximize rewards while minimizing risks?

• Leveraging the UN system to advance global AI governance efforts
• The critical conversation on AI safety and risk
• To share or not to share: the dilemma of open-source vs proprietary large language models
• Harmonizing high-tech: The role of AI standards as an implementation tool

Don’t miss the chance to join the AI Governance Day discussions ahead of the AI for Good Global Summit.

Registration is open now.

Robert F. Trager will moderate AI Governance Day