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Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and Global Dialogue on AI​

Community Publication

Participating in the call launched by the United Nations Digital Compact demanding “consultation on the roadmap for the intergovernmental process to identify the terms of reference and modalities for the establishment and functioning of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance”,

we responded with clear recommendations on the overall composition, governance and structure of the panel.

Contributors: Caitlin Kraft-Buchman & Emma Kallina

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Executive Summary

The multidisciplinary Independent International Scientific Panel on AI should level the playing field in determining the future of AI by rebalancing current power asymmetries—in other words, ensuring that the voices shaping AI objectives and deployment decisions are no longer limited to a privileged few. This means prioritizing the perspectives of those traditionally silenced or marginalized, so that AI’s benefits and risks are equitably distributed across diverse geographies and communities.

A key focus is broadening the scope of AI used in the public sector. Too many systems today emphasize fraud detection or cost-cutting alone, rather than harnessing AI to enhance social services, uplift community well-being, and protect human dignity. By questioning who defines system objectives and when AI tools are ready for real-world use, the Panel will spotlight fundamental questions about whose values, needs, and rights take precedence.

Through evidence-based research, policy guidance, and inclusive dialogue, the Panel will drive a paradigm shift from a narrow, efficiency-driven AI mindset to one that emphasizes equity, human rights, and justice. It will integrate insights from multiple disciplines—technical, legal, social, ethical—and highlight lived experiences of communities on the front lines of AI impact. Its recommendations will target structural changes in governance, urging public and private actors to pursue AI designs that advance collective well-being rather than merely optimize profits or punitive oversight.

 

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In sum, the Panel’s mandate should be to:

  1. Promote Inclusive Governance: Elevate underrepresented voices in defining AI priorities and readiness.
  2. Rebalance Power Dynamics: Challenge existing structures so that AI development responds to real community needs.
  3. Catalyze Broad Societal Benefits: Encourage AI applications centered on dignity, social justice, and public good.
  4. Ensure Equitable Outcomes: Develop frameworks for fair risk distribution and collective accountability.

By embedding equity and inclusion at every stage—from design to deployment—the Panel would aim to reshape global AI governance so that all communities can shape and benefit from the next generation of AI systems.

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