Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit

20 Feb 2026 17:00h - 18:00h

Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit

Session at a glanceSummary, keypoints, and speakers overview

Summary

The session focused on launching and advancing the United Nations-backed Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building, aimed at democratizing AI knowledge and keeping humans central to its development [1][7]. Indian officials highlighted domestic efforts to embed AI across education, from university curricula to third-grade school classes, and to retrain the existing workforce [2-4].


Amit Shukla warned that without coordinated action, AI could widen the gap between countries, especially affecting the Global South, and stressed the need for collective capacity-building [13-18]. He cited India’s long-standing ITEC programme, which has trained thousands of officials from 160 countries and offers about 10,000 fully funded in-person courses annually, including AI modules that will be expanded [20-24]. Shukla welcomed the new network, noting participation from 14 countries and the contribution of IIT Madras as the first Indian centre [33-36].


Abdurrahman Habib described Saudi Arabia’s Women Elevate initiative, which delivered a fully online AI training to 6,000 women in a year, achieving an 89 % certification rate and reaching over 86 countries [72-82]. He also highlighted Ethiopia’s AI Institute and the broader regional push to develop AI policy, curricula, and research capacity through collaborative networks [196-199]. Seydina Moussa explained that the network’s cooperation framework, first adopted in Dakar, enables centres to offer services, develop a “blueprint” for new centres, and plan multi-country projects [162-170].


Balaraman Ravindran argued that AI capacity building must teach not only technical skills but also how to use AI across all sectors, and that a scientific panel should engage a globally representative expertise base [117-124][134-136]. He projected that within five years the network could raise all participating nations to the highest AI-readiness tier, prompting the UN to revise its categorisation [235-239].


Vilas Dhar emphasized that the network creates institutional innovation, fostering cross-sector collaboration and translating AI governance frameworks into practice [255-263][268-270]. Anne Meldgaard reinforced the network’s role in bridging the digital divide by focusing on upskilling, reskilling, and inclusive community building, arguing that shared purpose and agency are essential for equitable AI adoption [297-304][311-319]. Representatives from Brazil confirmed national support and the enrollment of two Brazilian universities, linking the network to the Global Digital Compact and multilateral AI governance [337-346].


The discussion concluded that the network represents a concrete step toward equitable AI capacity worldwide, with commitments to expand participation, develop shared resources, and embed diversity and purpose in future AI initiatives [249][282-284].


Keypoints


Major discussion points


Inclusive AI education and capacity-building for the Global South, women, and youth – Governments are embedding AI curricula from primary school through higher education and retraining the existing workforce ([1-4]); the need to close the AI capacity divide is highlighted, with India’s ITEC programme offering thousands of fully-funded training slots, including AI courses ([13-24]); Saudi-run “Women Elevate” aims to certify 25 000 women (6 000 already completed) across 86 countries, achieving > 86 % certification rates ([72-84]); African labs (e.g., Ethiopia) stress regional collaboration to avoid being left behind and to share locally-relevant expertise ([191-205]).


Creation and rapid expansion of the Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building – The network is positioned as a UN-backed initiative that brings together diverse regional expertise ([25-28]); 14 countries have already nominated institutions, with India’s IIT Madras taking the first step ([33-36]); the idea originated from a Saudi-Kenya call at the UN General Assembly and is being operationalised through joint centres in Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Ethiopia, etc. ([48-56]); a cooperation framework and blueprint for new centres are being drafted, with plans for further meetings in Riyadh ([162-169]); the network is seen as a catalyst for institutional innovation and AI governance practice ([255-267]).


Role of scientific and academic panels in providing evidence-based guidance and ensuring Global South representation – The scientific panel’s mandate is to deliver data-driven assessments of AI impacts, which requires broad expertise and capacity worldwide; otherwise its recommendations would be “futile” ([133-138]); panelists stress that capacity-building must enable all stakeholders to use AI, not just to develop it ([117-119]).


Vision for the network’s impact by 2030 and alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda – Participants envision a thriving global dialogue where every country contributes, with the network’s platform enabling exponential growth of training and knowledge sharing ([219-227]); they anticipate a re-classification of AI readiness such that all nations reach the highest tier ([235-239]); the goal is to distribute both compute and human talent so that no one is left behind, directly supporting the Sustainable Development Goals ([214-216]).


Overall purpose / goal of the discussion


The session was convened to review progress, galvanise commitment, and chart the way forward for the newly-launched Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. Speakers highlighted existing initiatives, announced new centre memberships, and called for coordinated, inclusive capacity-building that aligns with UN priorities (e.g., the 2030 SDGs) and bridges the AI divide between the Global North and South.


Overall tone and its evolution


The conversation maintained a constructively optimistic and collaborative tone throughout. It began with policy-driven statements emphasizing inclusivity ([1-4]), moved into a collective acknowledgment of challenges and the need for joint action ([13-18]), progressed to enthusiastic sharing of concrete achievements and network expansion ([25-36], [48-56]), and culminated in forward-looking, hopeful visions for 2030 and beyond ([219-239]). Intermittent remarks on diversity, community, and purpose (e.g., by Vilas Dhar and Anne Meldgaard) reinforced a tone of inclusive ambition rather than confrontation, underscoring a shared commitment to equitable AI development.


Speakers

Speakers (from the provided list)


Vilas Dhar – President, Patrick J. McGowan Foundation; member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on AI - Philanthropy, AI policy, international AI governance [S1][S2][S3]


Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard – Technical Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark - Digital diplomacy, AI governance, international cooperation [S4][S5][S6]


Balaraman Ravindran – Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Madras; member of the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI - AI research, AI education, capacity-building [S7][S8][S9]


Fitsum Assamnew Andargie – Representative, Ethiopia (AFRD Labs network) - AI capacity building, regional AI collaboration [S10]


Abdurrahman Habib – Representative, UNESCO Centre, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - AI capacity building, women-empowerment in AI [S11][S12]


Seydina Moussa Ndiaye – Entrepreneur, educator; member of the UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI (Senegal) - AI policy, capacity building, digital inclusion [S13]


Eugenio Garcia – Ambassador for Technology and Innovation, Government of Brazil; Director for Science, Technology, Innovation & Intellectual Property, Brazil - AI governance, multilateral cooperation, capacity building [S14][S15][S16]


S. Krishnan – Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India - AI policy, AI education, national AI strategy [S17][S18][S19]


Mehdi Snene – Senior Advisor to the UN Secretary-General’s Tech Envoy; facilitator of the panel - AI governance, capacity-building, UN-level coordination [S20][S21]


Moderator – Session moderator (name not specified) - Session facilitation


Amit Shukla – Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India - International AI diplomacy, AI capacity-building initiatives [S25][S26]


Additional speakers (not in the provided list)


Sri A. Revan Threaty – Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, India - AI & cybersecurity policy, state-level AI implementation.


Full session reportComprehensive analysis and detailed insights

The opening remarks set the tone for the session, which was convened to launch the United Nations-backed Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. The moderator welcomed the audience and highlighted the aim of “democratising access to AI resources while keeping humans at the centre” [7]. S. Krishnan then outlined India’s domestic strategy to make AI education truly inclusive: the higher-education department is integrating AI into every university programme, the school-education department will introduce AI from the third-grade level [2-3], and existing workers will be retrained to adapt to an AI-enabled economy [4]. Krishnan’s remarks emphasized confidence that the new network will reinforce these national efforts [5-6].


Joint Secretary Amit Shukla positioned AI as a catalyst for welfare and economic growth, warning that “only countries with AI capabilities can reap the full benefits” and that, without coordinated action, the technology could widen the global divide [11-16]. He advocated a collective response to bridge the “AI capacity divide” that especially hampers the Global South [17-18] and cited India’s long-standing ITEC programme, which since 1964 has trained thousands of officials from 160 countries and now offers around 10 000 fully-funded in-person courses annually, including AI modules that will be expanded [20-24]. Shukla welcomed the UN-initiated network, noting that 14 countries-including Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and India-have already nominated institutions, with IIT Madras taking the first Indian step [33-36].


After a brief photo-op, the moderator announced that the Chief Minister of Telangana would deliver the upcoming keynote on AI & cybersecurity [??].


UN senior advisor Dr Mehdi Snene introduced the panel, thanking the speakers for setting the discussion on the network and outlining its genesis: a call from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a General Assembly meeting in Kenya urged member states to build a “global network on AI capacity building that could truly leave no one behind” [48-56]. He then invited the panelists to elaborate on the network’s development and future direction [44].


Dr Abdurrahman Habib (Saudi Arabia) described the Women Elevate initiative, which aims to certify 25 000 women worldwide in AI. In its first year the programme delivered 6 000 online courses, achieving an 89 % completion-rate and awarding Microsoft AI-900 certificates; participants spanned 86 countries and included public-servant women in Kenya [72-84][85-94]. Habib highlighted the broader regional ambition to empower a young, eager population and to use the network to share programmes and success stories across the Global South [95-96].


Professor Balaraman Ravindran (IIT Madras) expanded the discussion from technical training to a broader definition of AI capacity. He argued that capacity-building should enable everyone to “use AI to do whatever you want better” rather than merely producing more researchers [117-119]. Ravindran warned that the scientific panel must engage a globally representative expertise base, otherwise its evidence-driven recommendations would be futile [133-138]. Looking ahead, he suggested that within five years the UN may have to revise its AI-readiness categories because many nations could reach the top tier [235-239].


Seydina Moussa Ndiaye (Senegal) outlined the co-operation framework adopted at the Dakar workshop, which allows each centre to list services on an “offer sheet” and is working toward a detailed “blueprint” for establishing new centres [162-170]. He announced plans for a third meeting in Riyadh before the July summit, signalling an intention to scale multi-country projects and deepen collaboration [176-177].


Fitsum Assamnew Andargie (Ethiopia/AFRD Labs) stressed the need for continental collaboration. He noted Ethiopia’s substantial investment in an AI Institute that is shaping national policy, curricula and research, and argued that the network enables African labs to “lean on our neighbours” to avoid being left behind [191-199][200-206].


Dr Mehdi Snene then posed the 2030-vision questions. Habib responded that the network could drive exponential growth in training and foster shared dialogue across regions [??]. Assamnew emphasized the need to develop both human skills and compute infrastructure so that “no-one is left behind” [??]. Ravindran reiterated that the UN may need to revise its AI-readiness categories as more countries achieve higher levels of capability [235-239].


Vilas Dhar (Patrick J. McGowan Foundation) highlighted the institutional innovation required to match the rapid pace of AI technology. He argued that the network provides a platform for building the institutions that will guide AI’s future, stressing that governments-not the private sector-must set policies that enable data sharing and regional centres of excellence [255-264]. Dhar linked this to the Global Digital Compact, asserting that the network helps translate high-level AI-governance frameworks into practical, “muscle-memory” collaboration [268-270][271-276].


Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard (Denmark) framed the network’s importance in terms of human-centred technology. She introduced four pillars-identity, community, agency and purpose-as essential for meaningful coexistence with AI [303-310]. Meldgaard argued that upskilling and reskilling, especially for women, bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive communities, noting that shared purpose and agency are needed to ensure technology serves humanity rather than the reverse [311-330].


Eugenio Garcia (Brazil) confirmed national support for the network, announcing that two federal universities-the Federal University of Pernambuco and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul-have already joined [342-345]. He linked Brazil’s participation to the Global Digital Compact and multilateral AI governance, pledging continued backing for the initiative [337-346].


Across the discussion, participants repeatedly agreed that inclusive AI education, capacity-building for women and youth, and multilateral cooperation are central to the network’s mission. They highlighted concrete programmes (India’s ITEC, Saudi Arabia’s Women Elevate, Ethiopia’s AI Institute) as models to be shared, and they endorsed the cooperation framework, offer sheet and blueprint as tools for scaling [1-4][20-24][72-84][162-170][255-264].


The panel identified several action items: finalising the cooperation framework and offer sheet; completing the blueprint for new centres; organising the Riyadh meeting; expanding AI courses within ITEC; scaling the Women Elevate target to 25 000 women and extending it to public-servant females; integrating Ethiopia’s AI Institute into the network; and formalising Brazil’s university participation [162-169][176-177][20-24][72-84][342-345]. Unresolved issues include the lack of detailed funding mechanisms, the need for robust metrics to monitor training outcomes and AI-readiness, insufficient representation of Global-South experts on the scientific panel, and the persistent compute-infrastructure gap for many countries [133-138][235-239][337-346].


In conclusion, the session portrayed the Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building as a concrete step toward equitable AI development. By aligning national education reforms, international training programmes, gender-focused initiatives and multilateral governance frameworks, the network aspires to ensure that no country-or individual-remains behind in the AI era, thereby advancing a shared, human-centred future for artificial intelligence [249][282-284].


Session transcriptComplete transcript of the session
S. Krishnan

Industry bodies, we are working on retraining. Through the higher education department, we are looking at making sure that AI is taught across all courses in all universities and all institutions so that everyone, irrespective of which branch they study, are aware of how AI can make a difference to them. And our school education department has announced as a matter of policy that AI would be taught to school children right from class three, from third grade. So in that sense, we are looking to make AI truly inclusive and train the next generation to adapt to AI and ensure that those who have already joined the work stream are also retrained for this purpose. I’m once again delighted that this event is taking place and it will generate more commitments to further strengthen this global network of institutions.

Thank you very much.

Moderator

Thank you, Mr. Krishnan, for these insights. delightful remarks, especially around democratizing access to AI resources as well as keeping humans at the center. Now I would like to call upon Sri Amit Shukla, Joint Secretary, the Cyber Diplomacy Division from the Ministry of External Affairs. Can we have a round of applause for Mr. Shukla, please?

Amit Shukla

Sri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, my dear friend, Professor Ravindran, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Artificial intelligence has emerged today as an enabler for the welfare and progress of humanity. Whenever AI is deployed with purpose, it can catalyze economic growth and social empowerment. government for all. Yet, only countries with AI capabilities can reap actual AI benefits to their fullest potential. We must collectively address this anomaly and ensure that the benefits of AI is equitably shared. Else, this very revolutionary technology could only bring the widest unfathomable divide among countries. Countries, especially from the global south, face resources and access constraints. This inhibits their pursuit to harnessing AI for economic and development opportunities.

A collaborative international effort becomes highly relevant to bridge this emerging AI capacity divide. India, with this conviction, has been a strong proponent for international AI capacity building cooperation, especially for the global south. Our long -standing ITEC program is the testimony to this belief. Under the ITEC program, we have imparted training to thousands of officials from 160 countries since 1964. We have deployed our vast and rich network of institutions and training facilities for this purpose. Annually, around 10 ,000 fully funded in -person training opportunities programs are offered to nearly 400 courses at 100 eminent institutes in India. Some of these training courses are AI courses and we intend to expand this further. In this spirit, we stand with the initiatives of the United Nations and welcome the establishment of the Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on Capacity Building.

The network would bring unique expertise and perspectives from different regions of the world. This diversity would only enrich the purpose of the network in its assessment of local AI capacity needs. The network must truly facilitate sharing of expertise, training use cases and developing infrastructure for countries. We have developed our expertise in successful, innovative AI technologies. . Our achievement on integration of DPI solutions and adoptions. into AI to leverage technology for social and economic progress could add value to the network. The AI capacity building models under India AI mission would be relevant for the network. I congratulate all the participating countries on launching of the framework for the network. As we stand today, we have 14 countries already nominating institutions.

These are Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. It is a matter of satisfaction that IT Madras from India took the initial steps in this endeavor. Let today’s steps of the network build tomorrow’s bigger strides. Thank you.

Moderator

Sorry, could I make a quick announcement to have all the panelists and the speakers on the stage for a quick photo? Mr. Shukla? We will have a quick photo opportunity with all of the featured speakers for this session and we will proceed with the panel right after. Thank you for your patience. Thank you. S. Krishnan and Joint Secretary Shri Amit Shukla. We will now proceed with the panel discussion. Thank you. I would now like to invite Dr. Mehdi Snen, a Senior Advisor to the UN Secretary General’s Tech Envoy, to please introduce the panelists and moderate the panel. Thank you.

Mehdi Snene

He’s coming back. Thank you so much for your excellencies setting the discussion regarding the Global Network for Centers of Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. It’s truly my honor today to welcome these distinguished panelists today on the panel to talk about the network, explain how it started, where we are heading to, and then what are the biggest plans we have for the network. I’m Mehdi from the UN, and I’m today happy to have Sayyidina Musa from the UN. the Center of Senegal, Habib Abdurrahman, Abdurrahman Habib from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fitsun from Ethiopia, and Dr. Ravi from IIT Madras. And I’ll start with a kind of chronological order of how we have set up the network that started with an initial call from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kenya during the General Assembly, calling for member states to join their effort to build a global network on AI capacity building that could truly leave no one behind, in particular in the needs of building the AI national strategy and building local and sovereign national AI capacities.

Dr. Abdurrahman, I’ll start with you as the chronology of the genesis of the network. I know that there is a lot of initiative coming. in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia related to the AI. You are leading one of the centers that has been already established with UNESCO. I see that there is a lot of UN agencies also collaborating and cooperating on building this kind of network beyond the actual one. I would like to start by asking, how do you see the cooperation? You are leading one of the UNESCO centers in Saudi Arabia. How do you see the cooperation? How do you see the cooperation and diesel cooperation among the different networks, but also among the different networks held by different international organizations today?

Abdurrahman Habib

Thank you very much. Thank you for having us. It’s a pleasure to be here and seeing our friends. I’m so excited and happy to see the dream is coming true. A couple of years ago, we started multiple meetings saying we want to work on capacity. We think capacity is a very important thing. We think capacity is a very important thing. building is one of the most critical parts, and at the same time, it needs a lot of investment, and we need to come together to build it together. Long story short, we sat with multiple countries. I’m very proud that we and Kenya, especially Philip, Ambassador Philip, he’s not here, but we managed to put together the first meeting in order for us to talk about it.

It was very challenging at the beginning. That wasn’t part of the plan, wasn’t part of an official gathering, but we believe that capacity building needs to be a network. We need to work together, not scattered, and we need to support each other in programs. In Saudi, one of the strengths that we have in the past couple of years is actually capacity building, and that’s why we tried to show what’s been done in Saudi, especially for the Global South, for all of us today on the table, I believe. All of us are very proud of the work that we’re doing. have big population, young population, that they are eager to learn. I’ll just give an example.

When we started Women Elevate program at our UNESCO center, we thought Women Elevate program will show them how eager those students are. So the goal of Women Elevate is to empower ladies globally on AI by offering a training program for 25 ,000 ladies as a goal for three years. Only in the past year, we managed to finish 6 ,000. The number is not important. What’s actually important is to see what is the success rate of those students in the program. This is an online program, fully online. We provide, of course, mentorship, and we provide the support, and it finishes with a certificate from Microsoft AI 900. This is 26 hours of training. That’s about five to six weeks. More than… 89 % of the students are finishing the courses and getting the certificate.

Now 6 ,000 of them have done the program and almost the majority of them got the certificate. We’re talking about more than 86 countries this program covered. And we believe such programs and many other programs globally will be able to make a dent and change the future for so many of our citizens. And especially for women and I mean it for Global South. In Global South we look at technology differently than the northern part. Many of our colleagues and sisters they look at IT and STEM overall as the go -to major and the go -to place to learn and equip in technology. Therefore you will see that we have 29 thousand ladies registered in the program. Can you imagine that 29 ,000 ladies just since June want to continue and learn in this program, and we will be hopefully able to cater and finish this target and move to new targets as we go.

Not only that, but also we twisted the program a bit by offering the program for public servants. Unfortunately, we are only offering it for public servant ladies. So, for example, in Kenya, Philip managed to train the majority of his team and the working groups, more than 300 ladies now already trained in the foreign affairs in Kenya. And that’s what we want to see in delegation and many other programs, and that’s what we are hoping to achieve in the next couple of years. So I’m very excited and happy to see that dream came true, and we are in a network today where we will share programs, and we will hopefully share even more and more success. We will share this story as we go with our colleagues.

Thank you.

Mehdi Snene

Dr. Abdurrahman, thank you so much. This is impressive numbers you’ve articulated there, and I’m happy to count on your support. This is, as I said, this is a member -state -led initiative, and it’s proposing centers, as our officials from India already expressed. One of the first centers to join is, thanks to our Professor Ravi, a colleague now from the scientific panel, is IIT Madras. So you took the initiative of initiating that, so probably you really see the outcome and the value of that. Firstly, as a professor at IIT Madras in India, and secondly, as a scientific, joining the UN scientific panel, what do you really expect from the network? How do you see the value of that network?

Balaraman Ravindran

Great. So first off, I mean, I’m super thrilled that we are here now, that we have actually gotten this. moving and the thing with for India so for us it’s we are a country in multiple parts we are like a curate some parts of the country which is a lot of talent and other parts of the country where we really have to start building our own networks for doing this kind of capacity building and so we know the difficulty and value of making sure that the entire population is skilled at least AI literate and have the capacity to contribute meaningfully both to an AI enriched economy and as well as the AI development going forward and I believe this is a conversation that cannot be done within the country alone so we really need to get everybody on board and as an academic what I’m looking at is just taking all my other hats off just putting my teacher hat on I don’t even know how to teach anymore.

So that’s the truth, right? The skilling, the learning, the mechanisms, the facilities that are available, and even the training that the children who are… I teach at a university. I shouldn’t call them children anymore, but anyway. The students are going through when they come to us, right? It’s very different. There’s a lot much more self -learning. Students are more comfortable doing things on their own, and in fact, trying to force -fit them into a classroom setting is always challenging, right? But then, what I’m also seeing is that everybody, everybody wants to know AI. Everybody wants to use AI. And I think that’s correct. Not because I want more people to do AI research. I’m not looking for more grad students or research assistants, but it is because every walk of life is going to get influenced by AI.

So when we talk about capacity building in AI… It is not just capacity to do AI better, but capacity to use AI to do whatever you want to do better. And that, I think, is a global imperative. Everybody should know how to use this technology so that as a planet, as humankind, we are able to jointly elevate our worth. And so, as Professor Bengio was saying in the morning, we want everybody at the table. Well, nobody is the dinner. That was a very provocative statement. It leaves a powerful image in your mind. But I think that’s important. And what we are doing here is great for that. And now, putting on my panelist hat. Do I have a couple of more minutes for the panelist hat?

Do I have a couple of more minutes for the panelist hat? Okay, I’ll take that as an yes. I was not ready for that question. I’m not supposed to answer the questions. Sure. So from the viewpoint of the scientific panel, so the whole idea behind the scientific panel is to provide evidence -driven, science -based approach to the state of AI, the impact of AI, and the potential progress of AI in the coming times. So in that sense, unless we have meaningful engagement with the global majority, with everyone in the globe, it’s going to be futile trying to say that the panel is going to talk for the world at large. And for us to have that conversation, we need to make sure there is a sufficient amount of…

of expertise, sufficient capacity around the globe to engage in that conversation. So I think that is important. I’m pretty sure the panel had a tough time finding enough representation from the global south. Thank you so much. That you can answer. We need to get that. Yeah, true.

Mehdi Snene

Thank you so much, Professor Ravi, and thanks for your kind words. So started with Saudi Arabia and then India. Saudi Arabia offered the first center, and then Senegal offered the second center, and to host the second meeting of the network that happened at the end of January in Dakar, and our host today is with us. So, Sadie and I, you are a former UN Secretary General, a high -level advisory body on AI member, and among the recommendations, there was this network of capacity building. I recognize some other HLAB members sitting there. I don’t think in the room. so they will be watching you closely. I’ll give you my microphone, no worries. I’ll give you mine.

So when you’ve done this recommendation, you have the best view on what you expect from the network. We’ll make it, because we are running out of time. But please give us more clarification on the initial area and then the current implementation and where we are heading to.

Seydina Moussa Ndiaye

Thank you, Mehdi. I’m very excited to be here. As you say, the network of AI Capacity Building Center was one of the recommendations of the H -Lab. And the two first ones were the panel and the global dialogue. And as you say, the idea of the panel, was to have evidence on opportunities and challenges on AI to give to policymakers. And the dialogue… was to bring all countries together to have this dialogue around AI. But as you know, when we have all countries, there is this gap between countries. There is some countries who understand what’s going on and others who are here but don’t understand all the trends, all the risks, all the challenges, all the opportunities of AI.

So that’s why the network of capacity building on AI capacity building was also proposed to give the opportunity to help countries to have more understanding on AI and to build their own ecosystem. And with the network, obviously, now… being a reality. I think that what we have done since then is to adopt our cooperation framework. We begin the work in India here with IIT Madras, and the cooperation framework is now adopted during the workshop in Dakar, where we had, I think it was six centers which adopted it. And we talked about what could be the way of doing things within the network. We worked on an offer sheet so that each network who came, each center, who came in the network can offer some services to the network.

And we are still working on stabilizing the office sheet. And the next step will be to have a blueprint because it’s important to help also countries which haven’t a center yet to build a center. So we will have a blueprint on how to build a center. I think that we asked Audet to do the first draft. And we worked on a couple of activities we can do. And one of the main project is to have a capacity building. And I think we will work on it with Abib and so on. And we try to have all the big projects. Multi -country projects. so we can work together and help each other. And the next step will be to have perhaps a third meeting.

Habi was talking about having it in Riyadh, I think. So perhaps it will be at Riyadh before the summit on July.

Mehdi Snene

Excellent. This is excellent news. Excellent news. So our centers get prepared to come to Riyadh. Exciting city. I’ve been there recently. Good. So Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started the initiative, India first center. Africa was strongly represented by Dakar as a second host. And then we got among the first cohort of centers that joined are Ethiopia. Dr. Fitzsimmons was joining us in IAT Madras and then in Dakar. With that, we’re going to wrap up the session. with a strong enthusiasm regarding the center. As a center who joined, not building the initiative, but joined it, you have for sure seen something within that initiative that attracts you. And I’m sorry we are running out of time, so maybe we have two minutes, but I want to listen from one of the first centers to join the cohort.

Why did you join the network?

Fitsum Assamnew Andargie

Thank you, Mehdi, and I’m very happy to be here and also very happy to be part of the network. So I’ll tell you how we got into this. So I’m part of a network of African labs supported by IDRC called AFRD Labs. And we saw that. Like, there is a need for collaboration across Africa. to develop our AI capacity. And we were introduced to this new program that we thought that would actually help us in actually creating the network. And in fact, joining the network would help us, want each other to develop our capacity and lean on our neighbors not to be left behind. For example, in Ethiopia, there is a huge investment in AI by the establishment of the AI Institute.

And it was responsible for developing policy, developing strategy, and also supporting capacity building. And from a university, like the university itself, started thinking about AI and started its own policy in the way like… education is delivered. And then an AI course was built, developed, and when we looked at this, we still are left behind. We need to become more competitive. And for that, we need the capacity building. So this network provides us opportunity. Not only that, we can also help others because we understand the context, the local context. The problems we faced when trying to establish our own centers. And our discussions actually helped us understand that, oh, okay, we are in it together, so we can help each other get there.

So that’s why, actually, we were very… We were very enthusiastic. And the government was very enthusiastic about saying, oh, okay, we should join this network. Thank you.

Mehdi Snene

Excellent. Thank you so much. Again, so we heard a lot from the investigators, principal investigators, the designers, the participants, all the enthusiastic centers about the network. Now, in a very short answer, I’ll get back to all of you. How do you see the network in the next five years? Meaning we have at the UN the 2030 SDG goal. In 30 seconds, if you can do it, how do you see the network in 2030 contributing to that? Or where do you see the network in 2030? Dr. Habib, please.

Abdurrahman Habib

Okay. Thanks, Mehdi. In 2030, I think that the dialogue is here. If the network. Work well. we will have a meaningful dialogue. It’s not only some countries who will lead the discussion, but all countries in the world, I think. I believe that the network will grow exponentially. We’re a small number now, and we already grew exponentially in the past couple of months. This will continue as a trajectory for quite some time. But what’s more important is that the platform is there now. So we can share experiences and share programs in a way that we didn’t have before. And by doing so, I believe that will also contribute to our beneficiaries, whomever they are, and we’ll receive more and more training and more capacity will be built in that program.

Thank you.

Fitsum Assamnew Andargie

Thank you. In five years, where I see the network is that it could have… distribution of capacity. When I say that it’s not only the compute power, but the human power as well. We will have no one left behind, which means you have people that can do research and generate new knowledge, and people that can use AI and develop their livelihoods. That’s where I see the effect of this is going to be for all these countries involved. Thank you.

Mehdi Snene

Dr. Ravi.

Balaraman Ravindran

has the categorization of countries as to how ready they are with regard to AI. So five years from now, I wish the network would have contributed to such an extent that the UN would have to redo the categorization. So that they have to take the topmost level and start splitting it into four as opposed to having four levels of AI readiness. So everybody is at the top level as we imagine it now. And then we’ll go on from there. Thank you so much, Ravi. The floor is yours, yours, Chair MC.

Moderator

Thanks for all the panelists and thanks for joining us for this short discussion. Thank you, panelists, for that insightful discussion. Before we proceed with the closing remarks, I’d like to remind the audience that we will soon have with us Sri A. Revan Thretty, the Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, a state that’s emerged as one of the leaders in industrial innovation and technology -led governance. And he will be presenting a keynote address on AI and cybersecurity, Harnessing AI Power in the State’s Growth. Those who would like to stay back for that session, please be seated. Those who would like to leave after the ODIT session, please use this door. Thank you so much. Thank you. That was a really insightful panel which spoke about the needs of the Global South, capacity building for women and youth particularly.

And now moving on, we would like to invite Mr. Vilas Thar, President Patrick J. McGowan Foundation, for his keynote address. May I please request Mr. Thar to come on stage?

Vilas Dhar

Thank you so much and good afternoon, everyone. What an exciting conversation that wraps together so much of what we’ve heard over the summit. I want to acknowledge Your Excellencies, our friends here in the room, and I want to take this few minutes to share with you three ideas that directly connect to the network we’re building. The first is we’re in a time when innovation in technology seems like it’s moving so quickly. but I have to ask where is the innovation in the institutions that will guide what the future of AI looks like? And I think there is a matter of timing that’s quite interesting. In many ways it feels like no country is as far ahead on this institutional work as they might hope but neither is any country so far behind that they feel like they’re totally out of the race.

This network gives us an ability to build the institutions that will guide what the AI future looks like. And in that I think is the second opportunity. When we begin to think about what it will look like to build collaboration across countries, across sectors, across topics, I think it’s fair to say that we will not look to the private sector to define that conversation for us. It will require a different model. One that brings governments to play to set policy that allows us to collaborate with the sharing of data. With the idea that compute, even as much as we want to talk about it being sovereign, will have regional centers of excellence and that we need to build ways to collaborate around how we can collaborate.

And I think that’s why we share those resources. resources, that talent flows in this modern world, and that we need the institutions that will let us share our best practices. And third, and maybe most importantly, at a time when AI governance is the topic of the moment and everybody has a new framework, a framework that’s grounded in deep process and practice but still exists only as a framework, we need the institutions that will turn frameworks into practice, that’ll build the muscle memory of collaboration, that’ll actually tell us what it looks like to sit down and negotiate the complexity of ensuring common cyber defense, of sharing data, of building algorithms around agricultural practices that transcend geographies and local weather patterns, that allow us to abstract the underlying knowledge that drives these algorithmic designs and make sure that we can apply them in each place as needed.

That governance is a matter of muscle memory. It’s a matter of practice and it’s a matter of choice. Now, these are three observations that guide why we came to the original idea of creating this network to begin with. I want to acknowledge my colleagues here in the front row from the UN Secretary General’s high -level advisory body, a group that came together with scientific expertise and policy expertise from around the world to set forward a set of recommendations that didn’t just focus on capacity building, but also on the frameworks of global governance at scale. And I want to acknowledge the countries that led on the Global Digital Compact, the first new major multilateral institutional framework for how we might think about issues of interconnectedness in a digital world.

And I want to acknowledge the countries that came forward to really put this initiative together, starting first, of course, with our dear friends from Saudi Arabia and from Kenya, with the incredible work of India here and Senegal and the work that will continue. But I want to acknowledge that even when it often feels like this work happens in abstraction, that it happens in international agreements, in national coordination, at the heart of where this work happens is in the digital world. And I want to acknowledge the people, the scientists, the people that are involved in the civil society advocates, the private sector entrepreneurs who are building this at scale. And so let me conclude then on this point, that even as we come to the end of this incredible summit, as we’ve heard from so many, as we’ve heard both proclamations from the stage, and maybe more quietly, behind closed doors, the work that’s happening when people come together to ask a simple question, how can I help?

How can I be involved? That we ensure that we open the doors of transparency, that we allow for participatory mechanisms, that we ensure that we hold not just our values around what technology should look like, but what our society should look like as it enables these technologies. That we continue to enforce a basic adherence to questions like, are we ensuring diversity in participation? Are we ensuring that the next time we hold a conversation like this, we’ll see an equal number of men and women leading centers around the world on AI? That the students who are represented at institutions like this, show a diversity of thought. That we’re ensuring that we’re investing in the rights and norms and values and principles that should guide international collaboration.

And that the centers like the ones that are represented here today will be the vanguard of a global network that sits above and beyond where private sector innovation and frontier models sits, but rather innovates towards the kind of society that we all aspire to. One where these tools are used to enable our common purpose. One where India leads, but so too does Senegal and Kenya. So does Trinidad. So does Chad. So does the United States. And so does Saudi Arabia, a world where we come together to define what our common vision might look like when AI enables our very best. I want to thank you all. I want to thank the incredible center chairs that we had.

And I want to see us all come together in this work. Thank you.

Moderator

Thank you, Mr. Govan, for those powerful reflections, particularly emphasizing the need for diversity in participation. I’m now very excited to announce our final speaker, Her Excellency, Ms. Anne Melgaard, the tech ambassador from Denmark. But I also would like to make a short announcement that there will be a short intervention after this by the International Center for Global Innovation. Ambassador for Technology and Innovation from the Government of Brazil, Mr. Eugenio Garcia as well. so but please my honor to welcome miss Melgar

Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard

good afternoon everyone Vilas you’re such a hard act to follow I love this idea of Muslim memory let me congratulate the four gentlemen that was on the stage before I am so impressed and I’m almost a little scared at the scale of the progress that you have already created with this network in such a short amount of time in my home region in the European Union and in Europe it would take a little longer for us before we find the format and the framework and then we make it into London maybe in a few years would actually be able to do what you’ve been doing in such a short amount of time congratulations the global digital divide we’ve been speaking lengthy about it this last week it is still a huge challenge and to the global dissemination to a true democratization of this technology of a meaningful axis around AI when 34 countries are in the global digital divide we are able to do what you have been doing and we are able to do what you have been doing and we are able to do what you have been you have been doing and we are able to do what you have been doing and we are able to are the only ones that have the world’s compute, it becomes really, really challenging.

But what I think this network is doing, it is shining a light that goes beyond these traditional divides that we see in the infrastructure. It is around upskilling and reskilling. And I actually believe that we have more in common between the global north and the global south. And I think we can learn a lot more from each other when it comes to upskilling and reskilling. And that’s why this network is such an important and I think landmark piece for the AI puzzle to be solved. I want to end, I want to make this short, and I want to end on why I think this is important. A dear friend of mine, he has a framework for talking about meaningful coexistence with technology.

And it requires four things, four ingredients. First of all, identity. How to remain human in a technological world. It seems like a stupid, obvious question, right? But I think many of us are feeling the sense that I’m losing a little bit. that we need to be more inclusive. And I think that’s why I’m saying that we need to be more inclusive. me being a human being. My identity as an individual, as a Dane, as a woman, whatever your identity might be in a world where technology is taking over, how to make that persistent, that we have that sense of identity. That is part of being skilled to take the right decisions. The second one is around community.

In a time of increasing technology, we need more community, not less. This gathering could have been a Zoom meeting, but nevertheless, thousands of us travel from all over the world, spending time in here with too much air conditioning and out in traffic with too much traffic. Why? Because of the human connection. Because of the impromptu meeting, the inspiring speeches, but also the people you meet when you’re in the coffee line. Those who are inspiring, and that community is being built, and that’s why these AI summits work. That’s why the communities that we’re part of, they cannot be solely put together. They need to be put into a digital world. They need to present. Then there’s agency.

In a more agentech world, we need more agency, not less. I think many of the people that you meet, maybe your families, your communities, the citizens that you represent, if you’re a lawmaker and policymaker, the feel of agency, of actually having a say in how this is unfolding, is minimized. And this is another place where reskilling, skilling comes up, having the right tools to be part of that. And then finally, about purpose. How often do we ask ourselves, what is the purpose of this technology? There’s a sense that I would love for the AI to empty the dishwasher while I write poetry and I play with my kids. But right now, we’re in a trajectory where I am emptying the dishwasher while the AI is playing with my kids and writing poetry.

If we do not insist on having the questions around, what is the purpose of that technology? And if we do not skill our citizens, ourselves, in being able to ask, what do we collectively want? What do we want out of this technology? We’re going to get technology that we serve. the other way around. And so congratulations on this incredible network. I hope to be a stronger partner of it, but right now you are shining a light on necessary peace for a more meaningful coexistence with technology. Thank you.

Moderator

Thank you, Excellency, and it’s always a pleasure to see a woman in the room speaking on this subject. I’d now like to request Ambassador Garcia to quickly make his intervention. Thank you.

Eugenio Garcia

Thank you. I’ll be very brief since I was not in the program, but just to say that Brazil fully supports this global network of the United Nations on capacity on AI and capacity building. I think it’s very well known and remembered yesterday. President Lula from Brazil. He mentioned specifically in his statement that the role of tonight’s nations is key for an international governance of AI and we need to come to the defense of the multilateral system. It is important that we can we do this together so we’ll be working. We have two institutions, two universities from Brazil. They are already joining this network. One from the northeast of Brazil, Federal University of Pernambuco and also from the south in Brazil which the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.

So these two institutions are already collaborating with the network. Of course maybe in the future others could also join but just to say that this network will complement very well. the AI track of the Global Digital Compact, both the scientific panel and the global dialogue. And I think if we can strengthen multilateralism, I think that’s the way to go, and we can count on our support. Thank you so much.

Moderator

Thank you, Ambassador. In the interest of time, I’d just like to thank the speakers, the panelists, and the audience. I hope they enjoyed this insightful session, and we look forward to more news on this network. And thank you, everyone. We now move on to the next session. Thank you so much. Thank you, speakers. May I remind the audience that we now have with us Sri A. Raven Threaty, the Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, for a session on Harnessing AI Power in the State’s Growth, a keynote address on AI and cybersecurity, we would encourage the audience to please stay back for the session. Thank you. those who choose to leave may please do so through the door on my left.

Thank you very much.

Related ResourcesKnowledge base sources related to the discussion topics (13)
Factual NotesClaims verified against the Diplo knowledge base (4)
Additional Contexthigh

“India’s higher‑education department is integrating AI into every university programme, and the school‑education department will introduce AI from the third‑grade level.”

The knowledge base notes that India is working to integrate AI across school and higher-education systems and to expand AI projects throughout the education sector, though it does not specify the exact grade level or that every university programme will include AI [S84] and [S85] and [S86].

Confirmedhigh

“India’s ITEC programme, running since 1964, has trained thousands of officials from 160 countries and now offers around 10 000 fully‑funded in‑person courses annually, including AI modules that will be expanded.”

The knowledge base confirms that the ITEC programme has trained thousands of officials from 160 countries since 1964 and provides about 10 000 training opportunities each year [S1].

Confirmedmedium

“The Chief Minister of Telangana would deliver the upcoming keynote on AI & cybersecurity.”

A source records that the Chief Minister of Telangana gave a keynote on artificial intelligence, confirming the AI focus of the address, though it does not mention cybersecurity specifically [S92].

Additional Contextmedium

“AI is a catalyst for welfare and economic growth, and without coordinated action the technology could widen the global divide, especially for the Global South.”

Other UN-related documents describe AI as a tool for development that can help reduce disparities if deployed equitably, providing background for the claim about growth potential and risk of widening gaps [S65] and [S90].

External Sources (93)
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Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — -Moderator- Session moderator (role/title not specified) -Vilas Dhar- President, Patrick J. McGowan Foundation
S2
https://dig.watch/event/india-ai-impact-summit-2026/building-public-interest-ai-catalytic-funding-for-equitable-compute-access — We have Vilas Dhar , president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. Vilas serves on the UN Secretary General’s High -L…
S3
A Digital Future for All (afternoon sessions) — – Vilas Dhar – President and Trustee, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation Vilas Dhar: I mean, we assume that inertia is the…
S4
Leaders TalkX: Partnership pivot: rethinking cooperation in the digital era — Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard, Technical Ambassador from Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advocated for meaningful …
S5
Global challenges for the governance of the digital world — This engaging panel featured a diverse range of voices, including Anne-Marie Engelth-Melgaard as the Danish TAC Ambassad…
S6
AI Meets Cybersecurity Trust Governance & Global Security — -Anne Marie Engtoft- Technology Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
S7
Why science metters in global AI governance — -Balaraman Ravindran- Professor at IIT Madras, member of International Independent Scientific Panel
S8
Towards a Safer South Launching the Global South AI Safety Research Network — – Dr. Balaraman Ravindran- Dr. Urvashi Aneja
S9
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — – Balaraman Ravindran- Abdurrahman Habib – Balaraman Ravindran- S. Krishnan
S10
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — -Fitsum Assamnew Andargie- Representative from Ethiopia, part of AFRD Labs network
S11
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — – Balaraman Ravindran- Abdurrahman Habib – Fitsum Assamnew Andargie- Abdurrahman Habib
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https://dig.watch/event/india-ai-impact-summit-2026/panel-discussion-ai-cybersecurity-_-india-ai-impact-summit — He’s coming back. Thank you so much for your excellencies setting the discussion regarding the Global Network for Center…
S13
Panel #1 : « La gouvernance du numérique au service de l’inclusion : enjeux, freins, et opportunités » — -Seydina Ndiaye: Entrepreneur et enseignant, membre du comité consultatif de haut niveau sur l’IA des Nations Unies, ges…
S14
Open Forum #48 Implementation of the Global Digital Compact — – **Eugenio Garcia**: Director for Science, Technology, Innovation and Intellectual Property, Government of Brazil, form…
S15
Open Forum #71 Advancing Rights-Respecting AI Governance and Digital Inclusion through G7 and G20 — – **Eugenio Garcia** – Director of Science, Technology, Innovation and Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Foreign …
S16
Eugenio Vargas Garcia — Eugenio Vargas Garcia has 30 years of professional experience in foreign policy and diplomacy. He holds a PhD in History…
S17
AI-Powered Chips and Skills Shaping Indias Next-Gen Workforce — -S. Krishnan- Role/Title: Secretary of METI (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology)
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https://dig.watch/event/india-ai-impact-summit-2026/panel-discussion-ai-cybersecurity-_-india-ai-impact-summit — Sri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, my dear friend, Professor Ravindran, Excellencies, distingui…
S19
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — Sorry, could I make a quick announcement to have all the panelists and the speakers on the stage for a quick photo? Mr. …
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Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — – Amit Shukla- Abdurrahman Habib- Seydina Moussa Ndiaye- Mehdi Snene- Eugenio Garcia – Amit Shukla- Fitsum Assamnew And…
S21
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Keynote-Olivier Blum — -Moderator: Role/Title: Conference Moderator; Area of Expertise: Not mentioned -Mr. Schneider: Role/Title: Not mentione…
S23
Keynote-Vinod Khosla — -Moderator: Role/Title: Moderator of the event; Area of Expertise: Not mentioned -Mr. Jeet Adani: Role/Title: Not menti…
S24
Day 0 Event #250 Building Trust and Combatting Fraud in the Internet Ecosystem — – **Frode Sørensen** – Role/Title: Online moderator, colleague of Johannes Vallesverd, Area of Expertise: Online session…
S25
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — – Amit Shukla- Abdurrahman Habib- Seydina Moussa Ndiaye- Mehdi Snene- Eugenio Garcia – Amit Shukla- Fitsum Assamnew And…
S26
https://dig.watch/event/india-ai-impact-summit-2026/panel-discussion-ai-cybersecurity-_-india-ai-impact-summit — Sorry, could I make a quick announcement to have all the panelists and the speakers on the stage for a quick photo? Mr. …
S27
Keynote Adresses at India AI Impact Summit 2026 — -S. Krishnan- Secretary (India)
S28
WS #462 Bridging the Compute Divide a Global Alliance for AI — ### Balancing Efficiency and Equity ### Immediate Opportunities ### Infrastructure and Investment Challenges ### Skil…
S29
Open Forum #33 Building an International AI Cooperation Ecosystem — Qi Xiaoxia: Thank you, Professor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends, good afternoon. I’m delighted to …
S30
Keynote-Ankur Vora — “Technologists can choose whether we use AI to take on the world’s greatest challenges or just the most precious.”[1]. “…
S31
Meet&Greet for those funding Internet development | IGF 2023 Networking Session #111 — In conclusion, the White Project, led by Professor Jim Ryan, is a reputable research consortium that conducts research a…
S32
AUDA-NEPAD White Paper: Regulation and Responsible Adoption of AI in Africa Towards Achievement of AU Agenda 2063 — A well-structured redistribution of unpaid childcare and housework could help strengthen women’s participation in the di…
S33
Agenda item 6: other matters — Ethiopia: Thank you, Mr. Chairperson, for giving me the floor. Allow me to share some of the efforts made by governmen…
S34
New AI innovation hub aims to position Ethiopia as regional leader — Ethiopiahas launcheda new Artificial Intelligence University Innovation Pod in Addis Ababa, marking a significant step i…
S35
Comprehensive Report: China’s AI Plus Economy Initiative – A Strategic Discussion on Artificial Intelligence Development and Implementation — Yeah, I think I just want to add some echo to Professor Gong’s comments. I think it’s not necessarily a negative effect,…
S36
Education, Inclusion, Literacy: Musts for Positive AI Future | IGF 2023 Launch / Award Event #27 — In conclusion, while technology has played a valuable role in education, it is important to address the challenges posed…
S37
Governments urged to build learning systems for the AI era — Governments are facing increasedpressureto govern AI effectively, prompting calls for continuous institutional learning….
S38
WS #100 Integrating the Global South in Global AI Governance — Fadi Salim: of our panel. My name is Fadi Salim. I’m the Director of the Policy Research Department at the Mohammad …
S40
How AI Is Transforming Indias Workforce for Global Competitivene — “go beyond top tier institutions to tier two.”[144]. “that’s how it become more inclusive and I think this has to be a h…
S41
AI is here. Are countries ready, or not? | IGF 2023 Open Forum #131 — Alain Ndayishimiye:Yes thank you moderator once again let me take the opportunity to greet everyone whatever you are in …
S42
Global AI Policy Framework: International Cooperation and Historical Perspectives — The scientific panel will provide evidence-based policy assessments, whilst the global dialogue will enable multilateral…
S43
WS #288 An AI Policy Research Roadmap for Evidence-Based AI Policy — Alex Moltzau: Yes, thank you so much. My name is Alex Maltzau. And I work as a second national expert in the European AI…
S44
International Cooperation for AI & Digital Governance | IGF 2023 Networking Session #109 — It is crucial to strike a balance and ensure that there are no overlaps or conflicts between these regulations. Collabor…
S45
Digital Governance 3.0 — This framework will be further discussed at the Summit of the Future, where the GDC will be officially adopted. In summa…
S46
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — A collaborative international effort becomes highly relevant to bridge this emerging AI capacity divide. India, with thi…
S47
AI is here. Are countries ready, or not? | IGF 2023 Open Forum #131 — Alain Ndayishimiye:Yes thank you moderator once again let me take the opportunity to greet everyone whatever you are in …
S48
WS #288 An AI Policy Research Roadmap for Evidence-Based AI Policy — Development | Legal and regulatory Evidence-Based Policymaking and Research Integration Part of the roadmap emphasizes…
S49
Policy Network on Artificial Intelligence | IGF 2023 — Audience:Hi, Ansgar Kuna from EY. In AI, as with a number of these digital technologies that are arising, we’re seeing a…
S50
Global AI Policy Framework: International Cooperation and Historical Perspectives — The speakers demonstrate significant consensus on key principles including the need for inclusive governance, building o…
S51
Using AI to tackle our planet’s most urgent problems — High consensus level due to the presentation format with one primary speaker and supportive moderator. The implications …
S52
Leveraging the UN system to advance global AI Governance efforts — Equally, there’s an emphasis placed on the benefits of collaboration and teamwork. The analysis proposes that cooperativ…
S53
Democratizing AI Building Trustworthy Systems for Everyone — “of course see there would be a number of challenges but i think as i mentioned that one doesn’t need to really control …
S54
Leveraging AI to Support Gender Inclusivity | IGF 2023 WS #235 — Another important point emphasized in the analysis is the significance of involving users and technical experts in the p…
S55
GPAI: A Multistakeholder Initiative on Trustworthy AI | IGF 2023 Open Forum #111 — Abhishek Singh:I can take that, no worries. Thank you, Abhishek. The floor is yours. You can give your question. Yeah, t…
S56
UNESCO Recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence — 87. Member States should ensure that the potential for digital technologies and artificial intelligence to  contribute t…
S57
Panel Discussion Summary: AI Governance Implementation and Capacity Building in Government — The tone was pragmatic and solution-oriented throughout, with speakers acknowledging both challenges and opportunities i…
S58
Scaling AI for Billions_ Building Digital Public Infrastructure — High level of consensus with strong implications for coordinated action. The agreement across diverse stakeholders sugge…
S59
AI as critical infrastructure for continuity in public services — “I believe that there is perhaps awareness challenge as well as the capacity challenge, because I think that this whole …
S60
AI, Data Governance, and Innovation for Development — The overall tone was optimistic and solution-oriented, with speakers focusing on practical ways to overcome obstacles th…
S61
Smart Regulation Rightsizing Governance for the AI Revolution — Her approach to capacity building went beyond traditional training programs to emphasize shared evidence, performance be…
S62
Agenda item 5 : Day 4 Afternoon session — Gender perspectives and inclusivity in capacity building efforts were recognized as crucial elements by the delegates. T…
S63
Inclusive AI For A Better World, Through Cross-Cultural And Multi-Generational Dialogue — Key to this trajectory are collaborative and inclusive policy governance, culturally attuned ethical frameworks, and bro…
S64
Responsible AI for Shared Prosperity — Social and economic development Social and economic development | Artificial intelligence
S65
High Level Dialogue with the Secretary-General — He mentions the potential of artificial intelligence as a tool for development if used equitably.
S66
Open Forum #67 Open-source AI as a Catalyst for Africa’s Digital Economy — Development | Sociocultural Fair, enabling, risk-conscious, and equitable regulation requires collaborative partnership…
S67
A Digital Future for All (afternoon sessions) — There is a need to build AI capacity in developing countries to ensure they can participate in and benefit from AI advan…
S68
How AI Is Transforming Indias Workforce for Global Competitivene — “go beyond top tier institutions to tier two.”[144]. “that’s how it become more inclusive and I think this has to be a h…
S69
ITU launches global AI Skills Coalition to bridge expertise gap in developing nations — The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) haslaunchedthe AI Skills Coalition, a global initiative backed by 27 org…
S70
Empowering India & the Global South Through AI Literacy — Artificial intelligence | Capacity development | Social and economic development
S71
Welfare for All Ensuring Equitable AI in the Worlds Democracies — “This year, we upscaled 5 .6 million Indians, and so we actually doubled that commitment to 20 million people by the end…
S72
Panel Discussion AI & Cybersecurity _ India AI Impact Summit — The network has achieved significant early progress, with 14 countries nominating institutions: Brazil, China, Ethiopia,…
S73
Artificial intelligence (AI) – UN Security Council — During the9821st meetingof the Artificial Intelligence Security Council, a key discussion centered around whether existi…
S74
International Cooperation for AI & Digital Governance | IGF 2023 Networking Session #109 — Liming Zhu:All right, thanks very much for having me. Right, so I’m a professor from the University of New South Wales, …
S75
Open Forum #33 Building an International AI Cooperation Ecosystem — Qi Xiaoxia: Thank you, Professor, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends, good afternoon. I’m delighted to …
S77
Global AI Policy Framework: International Cooperation and Historical Perspectives — The scientific panel will provide evidence-based policy assessments, while the global dialogue will enable multilateral …
S78
First round of informal consultations with member states, observers and stakeholders (2024) — This vision aligns with the principles of the UN Charter and supports the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agen…
S79
How to ensure cultural and linguistic diversity in the digital and AI worlds? — His perspectives and insights contribute to a global dialogue that intersects with multiple sustainable development goal…
S80
(Interactive Dialogue 2) Summit of the Future – General Assembly, 79th session — Julius Maada Bio emphasized the need for a more representative, equitable, and transparent UN Security Council, highligh…
S81
WS #204 Closing Digital Divides by Universal Access Acceptance — Roonjha Qaisar: Thank you so much. I really appreciate being here on this screen. It’s wonderful to see a lot of excitin…
S82
Opening address of the co-chairs of the AI Governance Dialogue — Majed Sultan Al Mesmar: Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, friends, As-salamu…
S83
Ethical AI_ Keeping Humanity in the Loop While Innovating — Hello, good afternoon. So we’ll try to have this session very dynamic because it’s after lunch, it’s Friday, over five d…
S84
AI 2.0 The Future of Learning in India — Integration of school and higher education systems is essential, with universities reaching out to schools for better co…
S85
India outlines plan to widen AI access — India’s government has set out plans todemocratiseAI infrastructure nationwide. The strategy focuses on expanding access…
S86
TIMELINE — This strategy will integrate artificial intelligence technologies into the field of education through projects aimed at …
S88
https://dig.watch/event/india-ai-impact-summit-2026/building-indias-digital-and-industrial-future-with-ai — Today’s mobile networks are becoming intelligent, programmable and trusted layers of the national infrastructure. and th…
S89
Dedicated stakeholder session (in accordance with agreed modalities for the participation of stakeholders of 22 April 2022)/OEWG 2025 — The Chair’s closing remarks emphasized the positive progress made in CBMs and capacity building while stressing the need…
S90
Is AI a catalyst for development? — The Economist argues that AI has the potential to revolutionise developing countries by transforming their economies and…
S91
DRAFT AUGUST, 2024 — AI must benefit humanity. This requires a prudent balance of policies to tap AI’s potential while reducing its risks. To…
S92
Keynote Address_Revanth Reddy_Chief Minister Telangana — Artificial intelligence | Financial mechanisms
S93
Keynote_ 2030 – The Rise of an AI Storytelling Civilization _ India AI Impact Summit — Speaker 2 formally welcomes the next presenter, thanks the current speaker for his remarks, and introduces Mr. Naveen Ti…
Speakers Analysis
Detailed breakdown of each speaker’s arguments and positions
S
S. Krishnan
1 argument164 words per minute144 words52 seconds
Argument 1
Nationwide AI curriculum and workforce retraining
EXPLANATION
The speaker outlines a comprehensive plan to embed AI education across all levels of the education system and to retrain the existing workforce. This aims to ensure that every student and employee gains basic AI knowledge and skills.
EVIDENCE
He states that industry bodies are working on retraining, that AI will be taught across all university courses through the higher education department, and that school children will start learning AI from third grade, emphasizing inclusive AI education for the next generation and current workers [1-4].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The panel discussion notes industry bodies working on retraining and the higher education department ensuring AI is taught across all university courses, confirming a nationwide curriculum plan [S1]. Krishnan’s keynote further outlines this strategy [S27], and related remarks on upskilling the next-gen workforce appear in the AI-powered chips and skills briefing [S17].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
National AI education strategy
AGREED WITH
Amit Shukla, Vilas Dhar
DISAGREED WITH
Amit Shukla, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
A
Amit Shukla
3 arguments140 words per minute440 words188 seconds
Argument 1
ITEC program delivering AI training to officials from 160 countries
EXPLANATION
The speaker highlights India’s long‑standing ITEC programme as a vehicle for capacity building, noting that it has trained thousands of officials from many countries and now includes AI courses. This demonstrates India’s commitment to sharing expertise globally.
EVIDENCE
He mentions that the ITEC programme has imparted training to thousands of officials from 160 countries since 1964, offering around 10,000 fully funded in-person training opportunities annually across 400 courses at 100 institutes, some of which are AI courses, with plans to expand further [20-24].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The India AI Impact Summit panel highlights the ITEC programme’s history of training thousands of officials from 160 countries since 1964, with around 10,000 fully funded opportunities annually, confirming the claim [S1].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
International AI training outreach
DISAGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Argument 2
Creation of Global Network to bridge AI capacity divide
EXPLANATION
The speaker calls for a collaborative international effort to address the disparity between countries that have AI capabilities and those that do not. Establishing a global network is presented as a solution to ensure equitable AI benefits.
EVIDENCE
He notes that only countries with AI capabilities can fully reap AI benefits, warning that without collective action the technology could widen global divides, and proposes a collaborative international effort to bridge the emerging AI capacity divide [13-19].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The Global Alliance for AI discussion on bridging the compute divide emphasizes the need for a coordinated network to address AI capacity gaps worldwide [S28]. An open forum on building an international AI cooperation ecosystem also underscores the importance of such a global network [S29].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Bridging AI capacity gaps
AGREED WITH
Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, Vilas Dhar, Mehdi Snene
DISAGREED WITH
Balaraman Ravindran
Argument 3
AI as an enabler for welfare; need equitable benefit sharing
EXPLANATION
The speaker frames AI as a catalyst for economic growth and social empowerment, but stresses that its benefits must be shared fairly among nations. Without equitable distribution, AI could exacerbate existing inequalities.
EVIDENCE
He describes AI as an enabler for welfare and progress, capable of catalyzing economic growth when deployed with purpose, and warns that only AI-capable countries will reap full benefits unless the advantages are shared equitably, otherwise the technology could deepen divides [11-16].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Krishnan’s remarks at the summit describe AI as an enabler for welfare and stress that benefits must be shared equitably to avoid widening inequalities [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Equitable AI benefits
AGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Vilas Dhar
A
Abdurrahman Habib
3 arguments152 words per minute817 words321 seconds
Argument 1
Women Elevate program delivering AI certification to thousands of women
EXPLANATION
The speaker presents the Women Elevate initiative, which aims to empower women globally by providing AI training and certification. The program has already reached thousands of participants across many countries.
EVIDENCE
He explains that the program set a goal of training 25,000 women over three years, achieved 6,000 completions in the past year with an 89 % completion rate, offering a 26-hour online course that awards a Microsoft AI-900 certificate, and has reached participants in over 86 countries, with 29,000 women registered since June [72-84][85-90].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The Women Elevate initiative’s scale-targeting 25,000 women, with 6,000 completions and 29,000 registrations since June-is detailed in the summit panel summary [S1] and reiterated in the broader discussion of capacity building [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Women’s AI capacity building
AGREED WITH
Vilas Dhar, Moderator, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
DISAGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Amit Shukla, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Argument 2
Sharing of programs and expertise through the network
EXPLANATION
The speaker emphasizes that capacity building should be collaborative, with countries sharing programs, expertise, and best practices through the network. This collective approach is portrayed as essential for scaling impact.
EVIDENCE
He notes that capacity building requires joint investment and cooperation, stating that “we need to work together, not scattered, and we need to support each other in programs,” and later adds that the network will enable sharing of programs and success stories [68-71][94-95].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Capacity-building participants emphasize collaborative sharing of programs and best practices through the network, as highlighted in the summit’s discussion on joint investment and cooperation [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Collaborative program sharing
Argument 3
Targeted AI training for women and public‑servant females
EXPLANATION
The speaker details how the Women Elevate program specifically includes public‑servant women, illustrating a focused effort to upskill female government employees. This targeted approach seeks to strengthen gender representation in the public sector.
EVIDENCE
He cites the program’s goal of training 25,000 women, reports that 6,000 women have completed it, and highlights that in Kenya, more than 300 female foreign-affairs staff have been trained through the initiative, demonstrating a focus on public-servant females [71-74][90-93].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The Women Elevate programme specifically includes public-servant women, such as the 300+ female foreign-affairs staff trained in Kenya, confirming the targeted approach [S1].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Gender‑focused public‑sector training
F
Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
2 arguments101 words per minute365 words214 seconds
Argument 1
Ethiopia’s AI Institute and national AI policy driving local capacity
EXPLANATION
The speaker describes Ethiopia’s investment in an AI Institute that formulates policy, strategy, and capacity‑building activities, illustrating a national commitment to AI development. This institutional foundation is presented as a model for other countries.
EVIDENCE
He mentions a “huge investment in AI by the establishment of the AI Institute,” which is responsible for developing policy, strategy, and supporting capacity building, and notes that a university has created an AI course, underscoring the country’s holistic approach [196-199].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Ethiopia’s new AI Innovation Hub and the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute are cited as national efforts to develop policy, strategy, and capacity-building activities [S34]; the country’s agenda item also references these initiatives [S33].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
National AI institutional framework
DISAGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Amit Shukla, Abdurrahman Habib
Argument 2
Distribution of human and compute capacity across member states
EXPLANATION
The speaker envisions a future where both computational resources and skilled people are evenly distributed among participating countries, ensuring that no nation is left behind in AI research or application. This reflects a holistic view of capacity building.
EVIDENCE
He states that in five years the network will enable distribution of capacity, not only compute power but also human power, allowing people to conduct research, generate knowledge, and develop livelihoods across all member states [230-232].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The Global Alliance discussion on bridging the compute divide calls for equitable distribution of both compute power and skilled personnel across nations [S28], aligning with Andargie’s vision.
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Equitable AI resource distribution
AGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Balaraman Ravindran, Abdurrahman Habib
B
Balaraman Ravindran
4 arguments145 words per minute725 words297 seconds
Argument 1
Emphasis on AI literacy for all citizens, not just researchers
EXPLANATION
The speaker argues that AI literacy should be universal, enabling every individual to use AI to improve their work and daily life, rather than focusing solely on producing AI researchers. This broadens the concept of capacity building beyond academia.
EVIDENCE
He observes that everyone wants to know and use AI, emphasizing that capacity building is about using AI to do tasks better, not just about creating more researchers, and stresses the need for AI literacy across the population [112-119].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
IGF 2023 remarks stress that AI literacy must be universal, extending beyond academia to all citizens, supporting Ravindran’s point [S36]. Further, governments are urged to build learning systems for the AI era, reinforcing the need for broad AI education [S37].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Universal AI literacy
AGREED WITH
S. Krishnan, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Argument 2
Need for global representation and evidence‑driven scientific panel
EXPLANATION
The speaker stresses that the scientific panel must engage experts from the global majority to be credible, calling for broader representation and evidence‑based analysis. Without such inclusion, the panel’s recommendations would lack legitimacy.
EVIDENCE
He notes that unless there is meaningful engagement with the global majority, the panel’s work will be futile, and points out the difficulty in finding sufficient representation from the global south, highlighting the need for broader participation [133-138].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The open forum on building an international AI cooperation ecosystem highlights the necessity of inclusive, evidence-based scientific panels with representation from the global majority [S29].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Inclusive scientific governance
AGREED WITH
Mehdi Snene, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
Argument 3
AI literacy as a universal right, ensuring no one left behind
EXPLANATION
The speaker frames AI literacy as a fundamental right, arguing that future AI readiness assessments should reflect universal competence. He envisions a world where all countries achieve the highest AI readiness level.
EVIDENCE
He proposes that in five years the UN would need to redo its AI readiness categorisation because everyone would be at the top level, indicating universal AI literacy as a baseline expectation [235-239]; he also reiterates that everyone should know how to use AI to improve outcomes [118-120].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Calls for universal AI literacy and inclusive education appear in IGF discussions on education, inclusion, and literacy [S36], as well as in policy recommendations urging governments to ensure no one is excluded from AI benefits [S37].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
AI readiness for all
Argument 4
Redefinition of AI readiness categories by 2029
EXPLANATION
Building on the previous point, the speaker predicts that by 2029 the UN will have to restructure its AI readiness framework, moving from four levels to a single top tier, reflecting widespread competence. This signals a transformative shift in global AI capacity.
EVIDENCE
He explicitly states that the UN would have to redo the categorisation, splitting the topmost level into four instead of having four levels, implying that all countries would reach the highest tier [235-239].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Future AI readiness taxonomy
S
Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
2 arguments95 words per minute407 words255 seconds
Argument 1
Adoption of cooperation framework and blueprint for new centers
EXPLANATION
The speaker outlines that the network has agreed on a cooperation framework and is developing a blueprint to guide the establishment of new AI capacity‑building centers. This formal structure is intended to streamline expansion.
EVIDENCE
He explains that the cooperation framework was adopted during the Dakar workshop, that an offer sheet is being stabilised, and that a blueprint for building new centers is being drafted, with Audet preparing the first draft [162-169].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The Dakar workshop’s adoption of a cooperation framework and the drafting of a blueprint for new AI capacity-building centers are documented in the summit’s proceedings [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Framework for scaling centers
AGREED WITH
Mehdi Snene, Balaraman Ravindran
Argument 2
Planned meetings and blueprint implementation to scale the network
EXPLANATION
The speaker mentions upcoming meetings, including a potential third gathering in Riyadh, as part of the roadmap to operationalise the blueprint and expand the network. This signals continued momentum.
EVIDENCE
He notes that after the Dakar workshop, the next step may be a third meeting in Riyadh before the July summit, indicating concrete planning for further scaling [175-177].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The same summit notes a prospective third meeting in Riyadh to operationalise the blueprint before the July summit, confirming the scaling roadmap [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Future network scaling events
V
Vilas Dhar
3 arguments203 words per minute999 words295 seconds
Argument 1
Network as platform for building collaborative institutions
EXPLANATION
The speaker positions the network as a mechanism to create and strengthen institutions that will guide AI development and governance across nations. He argues that institutional innovation is essential for coordinated AI progress.
EVIDENCE
He states that the network gives the ability to build institutions that will guide the AI future, and that collaboration across countries, sectors, and topics will require governments to set policies enabling data sharing and regional centers of excellence [255-259][260-264].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Institutional innovation through network
AGREED WITH
Amit Shukla, Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, Mehdi Snene
Argument 2
Call for gender‑balanced leadership in AI centers
EXPLANATION
The speaker urges that AI capacity‑building centers should have equal representation of men and women in leadership roles, highlighting gender parity as a metric of inclusive governance.
EVIDENCE
He explicitly asks whether the next conversation will see an equal number of men and women leading AI centers worldwide [278-280].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The AUDA-NEPAD white paper on AI regulation stresses the importance of gender parity in digital initiatives, supporting the call for equal men-women representation in AI centre leadership [S32].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Gender parity in AI leadership
AGREED WITH
Abdurrahman Habib, Moderator, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Argument 3
Institutional innovation and policy frameworks to guide AI future
EXPLANATION
Reiterating his earlier point, the speaker stresses that beyond rapid technological change, there is a need for policy frameworks and institutional mechanisms that can steer AI development responsibly. This underscores the role of governance structures.
EVIDENCE
He asks where institutional innovation is occurring, notes that no country is far ahead or far behind, and argues that the network enables building institutions that will guide AI’s future, requiring policy that allows data sharing and regional excellence [255-259][260-264].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Keynote remarks underline that policymakers must create inclusive rules and institutional frameworks to steer AI responsibly, aligning with Dhar’s emphasis on institutional innovation [S30].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Policy frameworks for AI governance
AGREED WITH
Amit Shukla, S. Krishnan
E
Eugenio Garcia
2 arguments120 words per minute207 words102 seconds
Argument 1
Brazil’s commitment and university participation in the network
EXPLANATION
The speaker affirms Brazil’s full support for the UN AI capacity‑building network and cites the participation of two Brazilian federal universities, demonstrating concrete national involvement.
EVIDENCE
He notes Brazil’s support, references President Lula’s statement on multilateral AI governance, and lists the Federal University of Pernambuco and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul as network participants [337-345].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
National commitment and institutional involvement
Argument 2
Emphasis on multilateral governance and alignment with the Global Digital Compact
EXPLANATION
The speaker links the AI network to broader multilateral initiatives, emphasizing that it should complement the Global Digital Compact and reinforce multilateral governance structures.
EVIDENCE
He references President Lula’s statement about the role of nations in AI governance, stresses the need to defend the multilateral system, and says the network will complement the AI track of the Global Digital Compact [339-347].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Multilateral AI governance alignment
M
Mehdi Snene
1 argument145 words per minute843 words348 seconds
Argument 1
Member‑state led, evidence‑driven approach to capacity building
EXPLANATION
The moderator (Mehdi Snene) emphasizes that the AI capacity‑building network is driven by member states and relies on evidence‑based methods, underscoring its legitimacy and collaborative nature.
EVIDENCE
He thanks the participants, notes that the initiative is member-state-led and evidence-driven, and references Professor Ravi’s involvement from IIT Madras as an example of scientific participation [97-100].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The moderator’s opening remarks describe the AI capacity-building network as member-state-led and evidence-based, confirming the claim [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Evidence‑based, member‑state ownership
AGREED WITH
Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
A
Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
2 arguments195 words per minute828 words254 seconds
Argument 1
Four pillars for meaningful tech coexistence: identity, community, agency, purpose
EXPLANATION
The speaker proposes a framework consisting of identity, community, agency, and purpose to ensure technology serves humanity responsibly. These pillars guide inclusive and purposeful AI deployment.
EVIDENCE
She outlines the four ingredients: identity (maintaining humanity), community (human connections), agency (empowering individuals to influence technology), and purpose (defining why technology is used), providing concrete reflections on each [304-330].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Framework for responsible tech coexistence
AGREED WITH
Abdurrahman Habib, Vilas Dhar, Moderator
Argument 2
Framework for responsible AI coexistence emphasizing identity, community, agency, purpose
EXPLANATION
Reiterating her earlier points, the speaker stresses that the network should embed these four pillars into its operations, ensuring AI development aligns with human values and societal goals.
EVIDENCE
She restates the same four pillars-identity, community, agency, purpose-and connects them to the need for inclusive, purposeful AI that serves collective aspirations [302-330].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Ethical AI governance framework
M
Moderator
2 arguments130 words per minute579 words266 seconds
Argument 1
AI resources must be democratized and kept human‑centred
EXPLANATION
The moderator highlights that equitable access to AI tools and keeping people at the centre of AI development are essential for inclusive benefits. This underscores the need for policies that prevent concentration of AI power and ensure that technology serves societal needs.
EVIDENCE
After thanking Mr. Krishnan, the moderator explicitly praises his remarks on “democratizing access to AI resources as well as keeping humans at the center,” signalling these as key priorities for the discussion [7].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The keynote stresses democratizing access to AI tools and keeping humans at the centre of AI development, echoing the moderator’s priority [S30]; the moderator also highlighted this in the summit’s closing remarks [S12].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Democratizing AI access and human‑centred AI
Argument 2
Gender diversity and broader inclusion are critical for AI capacity‑building centres
EXPLANATION
The moderator stresses that future AI capacity‑building initiatives must ensure equal representation of men and women in leadership roles, reflecting a commitment to gender balance and inclusive participation across the network.
EVIDENCE
During the closing remarks, the moderator thanks Mr. Govan (Vilas Dhar) for his reflections and specifically highlights “the need for diversity in participation,” emphasizing gender balance among AI centre leaders [291-298].
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The AUDA-NEPAD white paper highlights gender diversity as essential for equitable AI development, supporting the moderator’s call for balanced leadership [S32].
MAJOR DISCUSSION POINT
Gender‑balanced leadership in AI capacity‑building
AGREED WITH
Abdurrahman Habib, Vilas Dhar, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Agreements
Agreement Points
Broad AI education and capacity building for all citizens, including workforce, students, and women
Speakers: S. Krishnan, Balaraman Ravindran, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Nationwide AI curriculum and workforce retraining Emphasis on AI literacy for all citizens, not just researchers Women Elevate program delivering AI certification to thousands of women Distribution of human and compute capacity across member states
All speakers stress the need for inclusive AI education and capacity building that reaches every segment of society – from school children and university students to current workers and women – ensuring that AI literacy becomes universal and that both human and computational resources are evenly distributed. [1-4][112-119][72-84][85-90][230-232]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The emphasis on inclusive AI education aligns with India’s long-standing ITEC programme and its advocacy for international AI capacity-building cooperation, especially for the global south [S46], and reflects the evidence-based capacity-building initiatives highlighted in recent AI policy roadmaps [S48].
Establishment and operationalisation of a global network of AI capacity‑building centres
Speakers: Amit Shukla, Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, Vilas Dhar, Mehdi Snene
Creation of Global Network to bridge AI capacity divide Need for global representation and evidence‑driven scientific panel Adoption of cooperation framework and blueprint for new centers Network as platform for building collaborative institutions Member‑state led, evidence‑driven approach to capacity building
The participants agree on creating a coordinated global network of AI capacity-building centres, backed by a cooperation framework and blueprint, with evidence-driven scientific panels and institutional support, driven by member-states. [13-19][26-28][133-138][162-169][255-259][260-264][97-100]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Calls for a coordinated global network echo the consensus in the Global AI Policy Framework to build on existing institutions and promote inclusive governance across regions [S50], and are reinforced by India’s push for an international AI capacity-building infrastructure [S46].
Gender inclusion and women’s empowerment in AI capacity building and leadership
Speakers: Abdurrahman Habib, Vilas Dhar, Moderator, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Women Elevate program delivering AI certification to thousands of women Call for gender‑balanced leadership in AI centers Gender diversity and broader inclusion are critical for AI capacity‑building centres Four pillars for meaningful tech coexistence: identity, community, agency, purpose
Speakers converge on the importance of gender balance, highlighting programmes that train women, calling for equal representation of men and women in centre leadership, and emphasizing inclusive values such as identity and community as essential for responsible AI development. [72-84][85-90][278-280][291-298][298-299][304-330]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
This priority is supported by the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI which urges maximising AI’s contribution to gender equality [S56], by GPAI’s multistakeholder focus on gender issues [S55], and by IGF workshops that stress gender-responsive capacity building and the inclusion of women in AI policy processes [S54][S62].
AI as a catalyst for socio‑economic development and the need for equitable benefit sharing
Speakers: Amit Shukla, S. Krishnan, Vilas Dhar
AI as an enabler for welfare; need equitable benefit sharing Nationwide AI curriculum and workforce retraining Institutional innovation and policy frameworks to guide AI future
All agree that AI should be harnessed to promote welfare and economic growth, but its benefits must be shared fairly, requiring supportive policies and institutional innovation. [13-16][1-4][255-259][260-264]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The view of AI as a development catalyst is reflected in the UN Secretary-General’s remarks on equitable AI for development [S65] and in broader policy discussions linking AI to shared prosperity and sustainable development goals [S64][S50].
Reliance on evidence‑driven, monitored approaches for AI capacity building
Speakers: Mehdi Snene, Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
Member‑state led, evidence‑driven approach to capacity building Need for global representation and evidence‑driven scientific panel Adoption of cooperation framework and blueprint for new centers
The speakers underline that capacity-building initiatives must be grounded in data, evidence, and systematic monitoring, with clear frameworks and blueprints to guide implementation. [97-100][133-138][162-169]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Evidence-based policymaking is a core recommendation of the AI Policy Research Roadmap, which calls for monitored, performance-benchmark approaches to capacity building [S48], and is further elaborated in proposals for rightsizing AI governance through shared evidence and cross-border procurement networks [S61].
Similar Viewpoints
Both stress large‑scale training programmes – Shukla through the ITEC initiative for officials worldwide and Krishnan through a national curriculum for students and workers – as essential to build AI capacity. [20-24][1-4]
Speakers: Amit Shukla, S. Krishnan
ITEC program delivering AI training to officials from 160 countries Nationwide AI curriculum and workforce retraining
Both highlight that capacity building must be collaborative, with shared programmes, expertise and an even spread of both human talent and compute resources among member states. [68-71][94-95][230-232]
Speakers: Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Sharing of programs and expertise through the network Distribution of human and compute capacity across member states
Both call explicitly for gender parity in the leadership of AI capacity‑building centres, stressing diversity as a core requirement. [278-280][291-298]
Speakers: Vilas Dhar, Moderator
Call for gender‑balanced leadership in AI centers Gender diversity and broader inclusion are critical for AI capacity‑building centres
Both stress that AI capacity‑building must be embedded in multilateral governance structures and supported by innovative institutional policies. [339-347][255-259][260-264]
Speakers: Eugenio Garcia, Vilas Dhar
Emphasis on multilateral governance and alignment with the Global Digital Compact Institutional innovation and policy frameworks to guide AI future
Unexpected Consensus
Recognition that the global north and south share common challenges and can learn from each other in AI capacity building
Speakers: Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Four pillars for meaningful tech coexistence: identity, community, agency, purpose Distribution of human and compute capacity across member states
Anne, representing a European perspective, states that the north and south have more in common than differences regarding upskilling, while Andargie emphasizes equitable distribution of capacity across all members, indicating a shared view that collaboration transcends geographic divides. [298-299][230-232]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
India’s advocacy for north-south cooperation in AI capacity building [S46] mirrors the Global AI Policy Framework’s call for inclusive governance that transcends traditional geopolitical divisions [S50], and aligns with cross-cultural dialogue initiatives promoting shared learning [S63].
Agreement on democratizing AI resources and keeping humans at the centre, expressed by both a UN moderator and an Indian official
Speakers: Moderator, Amit Shukla
AI resources must be democratized and kept human‑centred AI as an enabler for welfare; need equitable benefit sharing
The moderator explicitly praises democratisation of AI resources, while Shukla warns that without equitable sharing AI could widen divides, together underscoring a shared commitment to human-centred, accessible AI. [7][13-16]
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
UN-led discussions have repeatedly stressed the need to democratise AI and maintain a human-centred approach, a stance echoed by Indian officials advocating for shared foundational resources [S52][S53][S50].
Overall Assessment

There is strong consensus among the participants that AI capacity building must be inclusive, evidence‑driven, and coordinated through a global network of centres. Key shared priorities include universal AI literacy, gender inclusion, equitable benefit sharing, and embedding the network within multilateral governance frameworks.

High consensus – the convergence of viewpoints across diverse regions and roles suggests a solid foundation for coordinated policy action, with implications that the network is likely to receive broad political support and can move towards concrete implementation of frameworks, blueprints, and inclusive programmes.

Differences
Different Viewpoints
Different preferred mechanisms for AI capacity building
Speakers: S. Krishnan, Amit Shukla, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie
Nationwide AI curriculum and workforce retraining ITEC program delivering AI training to officials from 160 countries Women Elevate program delivering AI certification to thousands of women Ethiopia’s AI Institute and national AI policy driving local capacity
Krishnan proposes embedding AI education across all school, university and industry retraining programmes within India [1-4]. Shukla stresses using the long-standing ITEC programme to train officials from many countries, including AI courses, as the main outreach tool [20-24]. Habib focuses on a gender-targeted online certification programme (Women Elevate) that reaches thousands of women across 86 countries [72-84]. Andargie describes a national institutional approach centred on Ethiopia’s AI Institute and university AI courses as the basis for capacity building [191-199]. All agree on the need to build capacity, but they diverge on whether the priority should be national curricula, international official training, gender-focused online certification, or national AI institutes.
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Policy debates highlight divergent mechanisms-from traditional training programmes to evidence-driven networks and cross-border procurement policies-illustrating the lack of consensus on the optimal capacity-building model [S48][S61].
Role of the private sector versus government‑led institutions in shaping AI governance
Speakers: Vilas Dhar, Amit Shukla
Network as platform for building collaborative institutions (government‑driven) and avoiding reliance on private sector ITEC program delivering AI training and leveraging existing Indian expertise (includes private‑sector partnerships)
Vilas Dhar argues that the network should build institutions that guide AI’s future and explicitly states that “we will not look to the private sector to define that conversation for us” [255-259][260-264]. Shukla, while emphasizing international cooperation, highlights India’s AI mission and ITEC programme which involve partnerships with industry and mentions “Our achievement on integration of DPI solutions and adoptions into AI” [29-31], implying a role for private-sector technology and solutions. The tension lies in the extent to which private actors should be involved versus a primarily government-driven model.
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
The blurring of lines between regulatory development and standards work underscores tensions between private-sector influence and government leadership, while recent IGF sessions stress the importance of balanced public-private partnerships for scaling AI [S49][S58][S66].
Optimism about universal AI readiness versus recognition of persistent capacity gaps
Speakers: Balaraman Ravindran, Amit Shukla
AI literacy as a universal right, ensuring no one left behind (future UN re‑categorisation) Creation of Global Network to bridge AI capacity divide
Ravindran envisions that within five years the UN will have to redo its AI-readiness categorisation because all countries will reach the top level, effectively eliminating the divide [235-239]. Shukla, however, stresses that currently only countries with AI capabilities reap benefits and that a collaborative network is needed to prevent a widening divide [13-19]. This reflects a disagreement between a highly optimistic projection of universal readiness and a more cautious assessment of existing disparities.
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
Forum participants expressed optimism about AI readiness but simultaneously acknowledged infrastructure, skills, and awareness gaps that continue to limit universal adoption [S57][S59][S60].
Unexpected Differences
Extent to which gender‑focused programmes satisfy broader gender‑parity goals in AI leadership
Speakers: Abdurrahman Habib, Vilas Dhar, Moderator
Women Elevate program delivering AI certification to thousands of women Call for gender‑balanced leadership in AI centres Gender diversity and broader inclusion are critical for AI capacity‑building centres
Habib highlights a successful women-focused training programme but does not address leadership representation, while Dhar and the Moderator explicitly call for equal numbers of men and women leading AI centres [278-280][291-298]. The unexpected tension is that a large women-training initiative is not automatically seen as fulfilling the demand for gender parity in governance structures.
POLICY CONTEXT (KNOWLEDGE BASE)
IGF workshops and UNESCO recommendations call for gender-responsive capacity building and question whether targeted programmes alone can achieve full gender parity in AI leadership, highlighting the need for broader systemic measures [S54][S55][S62].
Overall Assessment

The panel shows strong consensus on the need for a global AI capacity‑building network and inclusive AI education, but diverges on the primary delivery model (national curricula vs international official training vs gender‑focused online programmes vs national AI institutes), the role of the private sector, and the realistic timeline for achieving universal AI readiness.

Moderate disagreement: while all participants share the same end‑goal, the differing strategic preferences could affect coordination, resource allocation, and policy design, potentially slowing the network’s implementation unless a harmonised approach is negotiated.

Partial Agreements
All speakers affirm the importance of a global AI capacity‑building network, the need for inclusive AI education, and the sharing of expertise across countries. They differ on the specific mechanisms, institutional arrangements, and thematic emphases, but converge on the overarching goal of equitable AI development and cooperation [7][13-19][68-71][162-169][112-119][97-100][255-259][302-330][337-345].
Speakers: S. Krishnan, Amit Shukla, Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie, Balaraman Ravindran, Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, Vilas Dhar, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard, Eugenio Garcia
AI as an enabler for welfare and need for equitable benefit sharing Creation of Global Network to bridge AI capacity divide Sharing of programs and expertise through the network Adoption of cooperation framework and blueprint for new centers Emphasis on AI literacy for all citizens Member‑state led, evidence‑driven approach to capacity building Network as platform for building collaborative institutions Four pillars for meaningful tech coexistence: identity, community, agency, purpose Brazil’s commitment and university participation in the network
Takeaways
Key takeaways
AI capacity building is being pursued at all education levels, from primary school curricula to university retraining and workforce upskilling. The Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building is established to bridge the AI capacity divide, especially for the Global South. Existing programmes such as India’s ITEC, Saudi Arabia’s Women Elevate, and Ethiopia’s AI Institute are being leveraged as models within the network. Inclusion and diversity are central: targeted training for women, public‑servant females, and a call for gender‑balanced leadership of AI centres. Multilateral governance and alignment with the Global Digital Compact are emphasized as essential for equitable AI development. A cooperation framework and a draft blueprint for creating new centres have been adopted, with plans for further meetings (e.g., Riyadh) and multi‑country projects. Long‑term vision includes exponential growth of the network, redistribution of both human and compute capacity, and a re‑classification of AI readiness levels by 2030.
Resolutions and action items
Adoption of a cooperation framework for the network during the Dakar workshop. Development of an “offer sheet” and a detailed blueprint to guide the establishment of new AI capacity‑building centres. Planning of a third network meeting in Riyadh before the July summit. India to expand AI courses within the ITEC programme and continue fully funded training for officials from partner countries. Saudi Arabia to continue scaling the Women Elevate programme toward its 25,000‑woman target and extend it to public‑servant females. Ethiopia to integrate its AI Institute activities with the network for regional collaboration. Brazil to join the network through two federal universities (Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Sul) and commit further institutional participation. Panelists called for gender‑balanced representation in centre leadership and in the UN scientific panel. Commitment to share programmes, use‑cases, and develop multi‑country AI projects across the network.
Unresolved issues
Specific funding mechanisms and long‑term financial sustainability of the network were not detailed. Concrete metrics and monitoring frameworks to assess the impact of capacity‑building activities remain undefined. Adequate representation of Global South experts on the UN scientific panel was noted as insufficient. How to address the compute‑infrastructure gap, especially for countries lacking high‑performance resources, was raised but not resolved. Operational details for translating AI governance frameworks into day‑to‑day practice were not clarified.
Suggested compromises
Emphasising collaborative, multilateral approaches rather than relying solely on private‑sector leadership (Vilas Dhar). Combining online training with mentorship and certification to broaden reach while managing resource constraints (Women Elevate programme). Utilising existing ITEC training infrastructure to deliver AI courses, thereby sharing resources across countries (Amit Shukla). Balancing national sovereignty concerns with shared regional compute centres and data‑sharing protocols (Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard’s four pillars).
Thought Provoking Comments
We are looking at making AI truly inclusive and train the next generation to adapt to AI, teaching it from class three in schools and across all university courses.
Highlights a concrete, systemic approach to democratizing AI education from early schooling, framing AI literacy as a universal right rather than a niche skill.
Set the agenda for the discussion around inclusivity, prompting subsequent speakers to address capacity gaps in the Global South and to propose concrete training programs.
Speaker: S. Krishnan
Only countries with AI capabilities can reap the full benefits; we must collectively address this anomaly to ensure AI benefits are equitably shared, otherwise the technology could widen the global divide.
Frames AI capacity as a geopolitical equity issue, moving the conversation from technical training to international cooperation and responsibility.
Shifted the tone toward a global‑south perspective, leading participants like Abdurrahman Habib and Balaraman Ravindran to discuss specific capacity‑building initiatives and the need for collaborative networks.
Speaker: Amit Shukla
Our Women Elevate program aims to empower 25,000 women globally in AI; in one year we trained 6,000 women with an 89% completion rate, covering 86 countries, and we are also training public‑servant women in Kenya.
Introduces gender‑focused capacity building with measurable outcomes, emphasizing the importance of inclusive participation beyond generic training numbers.
Deepened the discussion on diversity, prompting the moderator and later speakers to highlight the need for gender balance and inspiring the UN advisor’s later remarks on inclusive participation.
Speaker: Abdurrahman Habib
Capacity building is not just about improving AI research; it’s about giving everyone the ability to use AI to do what they want better. Nobody should be the dinner.
Broadens the definition of AI capacity to everyday utility and uses a striking metaphor (“nobody is the dinner”) that challenges the audience to think beyond elite research circles.
Reoriented the conversation toward practical AI literacy for all sectors, influencing subsequent speakers to discuss institutional roles and the need for widespread AI education.
Speaker: Balaraman Ravindran
Innovation in institutions is lagging behind rapid tech advances; we need new institutional models that let governments set policy, share data, and create regional centers of excellence rather than leaving the private sector to define the AI future.
Identifies a critical gap between technological innovation and institutional governance, calling for a systemic shift in how AI is regulated and coordinated globally.
Created a turning point that moved the dialogue from capacity‑building programs to the broader challenge of AI governance, setting up the stage for discussions on frameworks and muscle memory.
Speaker: Vilas Dhar
Meaningful coexistence with technology requires four ingredients: identity, community, agency, and purpose. We must ensure people retain their human identity, build real communities, have agency over technology, and ask purposeful questions about its role.
Synthesizes the ethical and societal dimensions of AI into a memorable framework, linking technical capacity to human values and social cohesion.
Provided a conceptual anchor that resonated with the audience, prompting reflections on diversity, community building, and purpose‑driven AI, and reinforcing the earlier calls for inclusive, purpose‑oriented governance.
Speaker: Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Brazil fully supports the UN global AI capacity‑building network; two Brazilian universities are already joining, complementing the AI track of the Global Digital Compact and strengthening multilateralism.
Demonstrates concrete national commitment and ties the network to broader multilateral initiatives, reinforcing the theme of collective action.
Reinforced the momentum of the network’s expansion, showing that more countries are joining, and underscored the link between capacity building and global digital governance.
Speaker: Eugenio Garcia
Overall Assessment

The discussion was driven forward by a series of pivotal remarks that moved the conversation from a broad statement of inclusivity to concrete challenges and solutions. Krishnan’s education pledge set the inclusive tone, Shukla highlighted the geopolitical urgency, and Habib’s gender‑focused program added depth to the equity narrative. Ravindran’s reframing of capacity building broadened the scope to everyday users, while Dhar’s critique of institutional lag shifted focus to governance structures. Meldgaard’s four‑ingredient framework anchored the ethical dimension, and Garcia’s national endorsement illustrated growing multilateral commitment. Together, these comments created a dynamic flow that progressed from problem identification to actionable pathways, emphasizing both technical capacity and the societal frameworks needed for AI to serve the global common good.

Follow-up Questions
How do you see the cooperation among the different networks and international organizations today?
Understanding coordination mechanisms is crucial for effective AI capacity building across regions.
Speaker: Abdurrahman Habib
What do you really expect from the network, and how do you see its value?
Clarifies the objectives and benefits of the network for the scientific panel and broader AI community.
Speaker: Balaraman Ravindran
How do you see the network in 2030 (or the next five years) and its contribution to the UN 2030 SDG goals?
Provides a long‑term vision for scaling impact, inclusivity and capacity building worldwide.
Speaker: Abdurrahman Habib, Fitsum Assamnew Andargie, Balaraman Ravindran
Develop a blueprint for establishing new AI capacity‑building centres in countries that do not yet have one.
A standardized guide will help more nations create effective centres and join the network.
Speaker: Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
Stabilise and finalise the ‘offer sheet’ that lists services each centre can provide to the network.
A clear catalogue of services is essential for coordinated collaboration and resource sharing.
Speaker: Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
Re‑assess the global AI‑readiness categorisation and possibly redefine its levels as capacities improve.
Accurate readiness metrics will inform policy, funding and training priorities worldwide.
Speaker: Balaraman Ravindran
Evaluate the success rates and outcomes of the Women Elevate programme, especially in the Global South.
Measuring impact will guide improvements and demonstrate gender‑focused capacity building effectiveness.
Speaker: Abdurrahman Habib
Investigate the AI capacity divide between the Global North and South and identify mechanisms to bridge it.
Addressing this divide is key to ensuring equitable AI benefits and preventing widening disparities.
Speaker: Amit Shukla
Design institutional models for cross‑country and cross‑sector AI collaboration that go beyond private‑sector‑led initiatives.
New governance structures are needed to enable shared data, compute resources and policy coordination.
Speaker: Vilas Dhar
Translate AI governance frameworks into practice, building the ‘muscle memory’ for collaboration and implementation.
Operationalising policies will ensure that AI governance is effective, not just theoretical.
Speaker: Vilas Dhar
Study the role of identity, community, agency and purpose in AI adoption and governance to ensure inclusive, human‑centred AI.
These four ingredients are critical for meaningful coexistence with technology and for equitable outcomes.
Speaker: Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Assess diversity and gender balance in AI capacity‑building leadership and participation across the network.
Ensuring equal representation promotes fairness and broadens the pool of ideas and solutions.
Speaker: Vilas Dhar, Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Address compute‑resource disparities, as only a few countries possess the world’s compute capacity.
Understanding infrastructure gaps is necessary for designing equitable access strategies.
Speaker: Anne Marie Engtoft Meldgaard
Measure the impact and coordination effectiveness of multi‑country AI projects within the network.
Evaluating collaborative projects will reveal best practices and areas for improvement.
Speaker: Seydina Moussa Ndiaye
Track the effectiveness of AI training and retraining programmes in higher education and the workforce to ensure skill development aligns with AI integration.
Monitoring outcomes will help refine curricula and retraining initiatives for broader AI literacy.
Speaker: S. Krishnan
Develop metrics for AI literacy across school and higher‑education levels to monitor inclusivity and progress.
Standardised metrics will enable assessment of how well AI education is being integrated at all stages.
Speaker: S. Krishnan

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