
Dear readers,
It has been a busy week as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2024 has been at the centre of Diplo’s attention and that of the entire digital governance realm, addressing the most pressing digital issues of our time: the rapid evolution of AI, the digital divide, and the delicate balance of governance framework processes revolutionising the world. On 15 – 19 December, Diplo was closely involved in IGF 2024, this time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reporting and contributing its knowledge to shape a human-centred digital future.
The forum brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from around the globe, and discussions highlighted three dominant themes: AI governance, bridging the digital divide, and enhancing cybersecurity, underscoring the need for inclusive solutions and forward-thinking strategies.
AI governance
AI took centre stage, as expected, with debates on governance, ethics, and its societal impact. Discussions explored a multifaceted approach, combining international regulatory frameworks, voluntary industry commitments, and bottom-up governance models sensitive to local contexts. The Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI and the G7 Hiroshima AI Process were spotlighted as global initiatives striving to balance innovation and the protection of human rights.
The potential of AI to deepen inequalities was another focal point, with calls to address AI divides between developed and developing nations. Discussions stressed the importance of building local AI ecosystems, promoting capacity development in the Global South, and ensuring equitable access to AI infrastructure. As concerns about AI transparency and accountability grew, frameworks like the ethical principles of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) offered pathways to mitigate AI’s societal risks.
Diplo’s contribution to IGF 2024
Dr Jovan Kurbalija, Director of Diplo, approached the IGF in Riyadh with a historical perspective on AI’s roots in the Islamic Golden Age. He underscored the contribution of the Islamic mathematicians and the Islamic culture, which is at the foundation of the digital world.
In the ‘Intelligent machines and society: An open-ended conversation’ session led by Diplo experts, attendees had the opportunity to explore AI’s profound philosophical, ethical, and practical implications, focusing on its impact on human identity, agency, and communication. Kurbalija introduced the concept of the ‘right to human imperfection’, urging the preservation of human flaws and agency amid AI-driven optimisation.
Another leading expert and Director of Knowledge at Diplo, Sorina Teleanu, warned against the anthropomorphisation of AI and highlighted the risks surrounding brain data processing and questions of AI personhood, particularly with the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Diplo ‘Unpacking the Global Digital Compact’
Sorina’s recent publication, Unpacking the Global Digital Compact: Actors, Issues and Processes, presented at the IGF, provides a detailed account of the GDC negotiations over an 18-month process, tracking and analysing changes across different versions of GDC drafts. The publication presents a unique interplay between zooming in on specific provisions, sometimes on the edge of linguistic pedantry, and zooming out to provide a broader perspective on digital governance and cooperation. The publication also places the GDC in the broader context of global digital governance and cooperation mechanisms. It offers a set of questions to reflect on as stakeholders explore the interplay between the processes, implementation, and follow-up of the GDC, WSIS, and Agenda 2030.
The panel also addressed AI governance, with Kurbalija advocating for decentralised development to prevent power centralisation, while Henri-Jean Pollet from ISPA Belgium stressed open-source models to ensure reliability. The evolving human-AI dynamic was discussed, including changes in communication and the need for AI ethics education, as raised by Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu. Kurbalija underscored Diplo’s focus on AI tools that augment human knowledge without replacing decision-making, ending the session with a call for continued exploration of the role of AI’ in shaping the future of humanity.
Digital divides: meaningful connectivity and inclusion
The persistent digital divide remained a complex challenge, with one-third of the global population still offline. IGF discussions moved beyond simple access, championing the concept of ‘meaningful connectivity’, which ensures a safe, productive, and enriching online experience. Targeted investments in rural infrastructure, unlicensed spectrum use, and satellite technology like low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites were proposed as solutions to connect underserved communities.
Gender disparities also took the spotlight. Statistics revealed stark inequalities, with women representing just 10% of executive roles in tech. Speakers called for mentorship programmes, cultural sensitivity, and capacity development to increase women’s participation in digital spaces. Examples like India’s Unified Payments Interface and Brazil’s PIX system showcased how the digital public infrastructure (DPI) can bridge economic gaps, provided they include robust consumer protections and digital literacy programmes.
Cybersecurity: resilience in a complex landscape
Cybersecurity sessions underscored the growing sophistication of cyber threats and the need for resilient digital infrastructure. Discussions called for universal cybersecurity standards flexible enough to adapt to diverse local contexts, while AI was recognised as both a solution and a risk for cybersecurity. AI enhances threat detection and automates responses, yet its vulnerabilities—like adversarial attacks and data poisoning—pose significant challenges.
Developing countries’ struggles to build cyber resilience were a recurring concern. Panellists emphasised capacity development, existing framework implementation, and tailored strategies. Cyber diplomacy emerged as a crucial tool, particularly in regions like Africa and the Middle East, where greater participation in global negotiations is needed to shape cyber norms and ensure equitable protections.
Content governance and environmental sustainability
The complexities of content moderation in diverse cultural contexts raised critical questions. While AI offers potential solutions for content moderation, its ethical implications and biases remain unresolved. Disinformation was another urgent issue, with experts advocating for digital literacy, fact-checking initiatives, and multistakeholder collaborations to preserve democratic integrity.
Sustainability intertwined with digital policy discussions, as the environmental impact of AI, e-waste, and data infrastructure came into focus. The digital sector’s 4% contribution to global emissions sparked calls for sustainable IT procurement, circular economy strategies, and greener AI standards. Harnessing AI to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) was also discussed, with its potential to accelerate progress through real-time data analysis and climate prediction.
Looking ahead: local realities and global cooperation
IGF expertise offered some advice for the future with discussions that stressed the importance of multistakeholder cooperation in translating global frameworks like the WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact into actionable local policies. In Riyadh, IGF 2024 reinforced that tackling digital challenges—from AI ethics to digital divides—requires a nuanced, multifaceted, holistic, and inclusive approach. The forum served as a sounding board for innovative ideas and a call to action: to build an equitable, sustainable, secure digital future for all.
See you in Norway for the IGF 2025!
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Highlights from the week of 13-20 December 2024
The forum, under the theme ‘Building our multistakeholder digital future’, will explore four key areas: harnessing innovation while managing risks, enhancing digital contributions to peace and development, advancing human rights…
Experts from government, international bodies, and the private sector highlighted social media platforms as primary sources of rapidly spreading misinformation…
The session included interactive exercises and highlighted the necessity of a multistakeholder approach to address global disparities in AI technology distribution…
Digital identity systems were deemed essential infrastructure for economic inclusion.
TikTok and ByteDance sought more time from the US Court of Appeals to argue their case at the Supreme Court, but this request was denied.
UN leaders at IGF 2024 explored digital transformation, showcasing refugee-focused apps, child data rights frameworks, and blockchain security systems. Panellists stressed collaboration, inclusion, and ethical technology use for sustainable progress.
Gender-based harassment and marginalisation were key themes at IGF 2024’s forum on journalist safety online.
The session focused on the potential of open-source large language models (LLMs) to democratise access to AI, particularly in fostering innovation and empowering smaller economies and the Global South.
Experts at IGF 2024 raised concerns over vague provisions in the UN Cybercrime Treaty threatening freedoms worldwide.
The discussion highlighted the importance of baseline cybersecurity measures, such as asset inventory and vulnerability management, and emphasised employee training and awareness.
Panelists from diverse sectors and regions discussed the significant challenges of misinformation, disinformation, and emerging technologies such as AI and deepfakes, which threaten democratic processes.
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