Global Information Society Watch

One of the most contentious topics at the 2019 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was artificial intelligence (AI). With its seeming apolitical nature, it is in reality the Trojan horse of political interest, and it took centre stage right from the beginning of the Forum.

APC welcomes the focus of the UN Special Rapporteur on the acute and structural threats that new information technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), pose to the rights to non-discrimination and racial equality, human rights principles and standards.

The answers, where they exist, on how to build people-centred AI that puts human rights first are certainly complex and often raise further questions. The launch of GISWatch at IGF touched on some of these key issues and it was a special opportunity to gather so many researchers and activists to explore paths for moving forward.

One of the most important underlying issues of the digital revolution that’s now underway is: what will happen to the jobs?

While pointing to the positive use of AI to enable rights in ways that were not easily possible before, this edition of GISWatch highlights the real threats that we need to pay attention to if we are going to build an AI-embedded future that enables human dignity.

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is mobilising for the 14th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Berlin, Germany, where it will be participating in activities from 25 to 29 November 2019.

The 2019 edition of Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) will be launching at the IGF in Berlin on 28 November! The theme this year is quite timely, as the new edition explores “Artificial intelligence: Human rights, social justice and development”.

The 2019 edition of Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) will be officially launching next month, and this is your chance to have a first look at full-length content through this special GISWatch 2019 Sneak Peek!