Artificial Intelligence is reshaping our world at breakneck speed, but who decides how it’s developed and used? Right now, these decisions are mainly happening in boardrooms and tech hubs of the Global North, leaving most of the world’s population as mere spectators.
We believe it’s time to change that to democratize AI governance, by centering global equity and human rights.
>> Sign on as a supporter of the AI Commons Initiative
>> Read the full AI Commons Initiative proposal in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese (Arabic coming soon…)
The AI Commons Initiative has emerged from the collective work and experience of the Working Group on AI and Information Integrity as part of the Global Coalition for Tech Justice, a powerful network of 250 member organizations and experts spanning 55 countries. Under Digital Action’s leadership, we’ve crafted this proposal for the upcoming AI Action Summit taking place in France in February 2025, driven by our commitment to ensuring technology serves democracy and human rights, especially the most marginalized across the Global Majority.
We want to welcome everyone to join the AI Commons Initiative — our plan to put the power of AI governance into the hands of communities worldwide. Think of it as creating a global policy training network, community participation, design lab, and oversight system all rolled into one.
Our Citizens’ Design Council seeks to change how AI systems are built by bringing people usually excluded from AI governance conversations into the development process from day one. Instead of merely dealing with the consequences of AI systems, communities will help shape these technologies before they’re deployed. Through our AI Equity Lab Network, we seek to establish training hubs across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, where the next generation of AI policy leaders will emerge. While our proposed AI Policy Innovation Lab provides a space for policymakers, civil society groups, and affected communities to test and experience how different AI policies might impact people’s daily lives.
To tie it all together, we’re proposing the establishment of a Multi-stakeholder Oversight System that ensures AI development remains transparent and accountable to the communities it impacts. It is about building a bridge between the technical world of AI and the real-world needs of diverse communities.
The AI Commons Initiative is your invitation to be part of this transformation. Whether you’re a civil society organization, academic institution or concerned citizen, we need your voice and expertise. Together, we can ensure that AI serves democracy and human rights across the Global Majority, not just in corporate centers of power.
Ready to join us in shaping an AI future that works for everyone? Sign on to support the AI Commons Initiative and learn more about how you can get involved. The AI Action Summit in February 2025 is fast approaching, and your participation can help make this vision a reality.
>> Sign on as a supporter of the AI Commons Initiative
>> Read the full AI Commons Initiative proposal in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese (Arabic coming soon…)
