The current progress and ongoing evolution of the AI industry do not parallel the ongoing efforts of the world in general and developing countries in particular, to stand steadfast against the challenges that AI brings with its evolution.

Therefore, the AI for Developing Countries Forum “AIFOD”, held at the United Nations Vienna headquarters from 15-17 July, brought together a number of significant leaders to share practical solutions and raise awareness about the current ethical, legal, industrial, financial, educational and justice-related challenges that AI may bring in reshaping their long-standing industrial structures. At the end of the forum, a report compiling the perspectives of 51 experts from over 20 countries was released. The report aims to serve as a tool to help countries and particularly developing countries, draft a roadmap towards achieving responsible AI adoption amid restricted financial and infrastructure settings and place them in the arena of AI policy as key players.

As a doctoral candidate in the AlignAI Doctoral Network (MSCA), Mohaned Bahr participated as a special delegate at the AIFOD Forum Summer Summit. In this blog he reflects on the outcomes and discussions from the plenary sessions, roundtables and parallel side events.

What Is AIFOD and What Is Its Function?

AIFOD is a global initiative with over five thousand members. It was founded in 2023 in Vienna and Geneva. Its mission is to bridge the AI accessibility gap between developed and developing countries. It brings together tech leaders, government representatives, academics and members of international organisations to discuss AI-related issues and facilitate the democratisation of AI and its accessibility among nations. It aims to amplify the voice of developing countries, eliminate the barrier caused by limited financial and infrastructure capacities and enable their participation in the world of AI policy.

AIFOD’s Opening Plenary Session

Tianze Zhang, AIFOD founder, was the first to deliver the opening keynote and he highlighted the role AI has started to play in dominating human life. He reflected on how developing countries’ markets are becoming potential pools for AI development and economic growth. He supported his speech with remarkable statistical figures that demonstrate how the economic pool of developing countries could become a hub for major AI and digital industries.

Reflections on the AIFOD’s Agenda and Its Parallel Side Events

AIFOD’s agenda was rich in terms of the diversity of topics covered by its keynote speakers, roundtables and parallel sessions panellists. “AI Investment for Humanity” was one of the key themes addressed by UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, Dr. Wendy O’Brien. As a keynote speaker and co-host of a roundtable, she emphasised how investment in human dignity is as crucial as investment in industry. In the forum’s first parallel session, titled “Invest in AI for Justice” Dr. Wendy stressed the need to understand that AI development requires not only investment in energy, water and land conservation but also in data governance and human dignity.

Another remarkable keynote was delivered by Andrea A. Jacobs, the AI Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Legal Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda. She explained how AI could enable small nations to become leaders in the AI industry and policy innovation through intergovernmental cooperation and strong policy frameworks. A. Jacobs highlighted the Caribbean nations as an example of success through regional partnerships and shared regulatory experiences.

Ethical AI was a central topic of the forum’s agenda. This topic was discussed during the “Trusted Data Framework: Building Foundations for Ethical AI” parallel session, where a panel of experts explored ways to develop ethical AI. The discussion focused on how institutions can utilise governance frameworks to ensure the ethical collection of data in a way that serves the public good and societal needs, instead of merely generating profit for private companies. Panellists also shared technical solutions that could guide the development of robust data frameworks that ensure transparency, fairness and trustworthy AI.

Meanwhile, the roundtable, “Rewriting AI’s Unequal Future: From Disparity to Opportunity” presented additional values. For instance, UNODC Crime Prevention Officer, Billy Batware, reflected on how AI could help bridge gaps by demonstrating practical examples of AI integration in justice systems.

On the third day of the Summit, innovative legal solutions took centre stage. Grzegorz Pobożniak, partner at KKG Legal, emphasised how the law can support AI innovation by introducing regulatory sandboxes that ensure innovation continuity while promoting accountability and benefiting the community. Similarly, Mary Walker, a Barrister at the Wentworth Chambers in the UK, moderated the roundtable “Open Source as the Third Way,” which addressed the potential of open-source frameworks as alternatives to promote AI democratisation and protect intellectual property rights.

The final roundtable of the summit, “Digital Sovereignty through Cooperation” concluded with a discussion on how a licensing framework could offer additional protection and compensation for creators whose data is used for training data.

The three-day Summit concluded with a recognition ceremony honouring some of the senior fellows for their dedicated efforts towards promoting ethical and trustworthy AI, followed by a breathtaking musical performance to celebrate the closing of the AIFOD Vienna Summer Summit.

Some of the Significant Endorsed and Declared Outcomes of the Forum

• The importance of inclusive global governance frameworks on AI to help developing countries address their unique challenges.
• AI should be guided by a human-centric approach that prioritises human well-being at the forefront of AI.
• AI technologies should benefit the entire population and leave no one behind, especially vulnerable groups.
• The necessity of developing an ethical framework that respects privacy and adheres to countries’ national interests and values to avoid unfair exploitation or undesirable outcomes.

At the end of the forum, participants called for the establishment of a committee tasked with overseeing the implementation of the declared outcomes of the forum and reporting on the implementation efforts.

Image: Interacting with keynote speakers — from left to right: Ashey S. Sawalkar (CEO, Next Archer Inc.), Pascal Hetzscholdt (Senior Director of AI Strategy & Content Integrity, Wiley), Simona Domazetoska Schuster (Co-Founder, Mindful AI, Vienna), and Mohaned Bahr (Doctoral Candidate, alignAI).