The World Economic Forum's AI Governance Alliance Releases First Brief

The World Economic Forum’s AI Governance Alliance calls for action to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive progress in artificial intelligence.‍‍‍‍

Image source:Getty Images/iStockphoto

Li Xiang

Member of the World Economic Forum's Executive Committee

Head of AI, Data, and the Metaverse

The World Economic Forum’s AI Governance Alliance is committed to fostering the responsible development, deployment, and governance of artificial intelligence through three core working groups.
Three new publications from the World Economic Forum offer recommendations for building secure systems and technologies.
While artificial intelligence is key to addressing global challenges, it also requires inclusive progress—precisely the call to action that the AI Governance Alliance has issued to its partners and allies in tackling the digital divide.
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In an era of profound transformation, technological innovation is playing a pivotal role in propelling humanity toward new frontiers. Since the second half of the 20th century, the trajectory of artificial intelligence has reached a groundbreaking milestone with the emergence of generative AI. This cutting-edge technology, celebrated for its exceptional capabilities in creativity, analysis, and innovation, marks a paradigm shift that is already reshaping industries far beyond traditional sectors like healthcare and entertainment.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and drive innovation forward, it’s sparking a revolutionary wave across the global economy and society. This transformation is unleashing new economic opportunities at an exponential pace—yet it also underscores a deep-rooted commitment to social responsibility. We must carefully navigate the transformative power of AI, as it reshapes industries and redefines societal frameworks. In response to this critical challenge, leaders from nations and sectors around the world must unite and collaborate to ensure that AI is developed, deployed, and adopted responsibly—ultimately unlocking shared, collective benefits for all.

A multi-stakeholder approach

To address these challenges, the World Economic Forum established the AI Governance Alliance in June 2023—a groundbreaking collaboration bringing together industry leaders, governments, academic institutions, and civil society organizations. Born out of Presidio’s recommendations on responsible generative AI during the "Responsible AI Leadership: Generative AI Global Summit" in April 2023, the alliance is dedicated to advancing more sophisticated AI governance solutions and frameworks. This initiative underscores a shared commitment to developing AI responsibly, ensuring that ethical considerations are thoroughly integrated into every stage of the AI value chain—spanning from development and deployment to ongoing governance and application.

Image source:Artificial Intelligence Governance Alliance

The AI Governance Alliance focuses on three core working groups—focused on "Safe Systems and Technologies," "Responsible Deployment and Transformation," and "Resilient Governance and Regulation"—and adopts a comprehensive, end-to-end approach to address both the critical challenges and promising opportunities in AI governance. Committed to fostering diversity by bringing together diverse perspectives and stakeholders, the alliance aims to deepen ongoing debates, refine strategies, and drive more robust implementation efforts, ultimately paving the way for inclusive, sustainable, and long-term solutions.

AI Governance Summit and the Inaugural Issue

In November 2023, the World Economic Forum held an AI Governance Summit in San Francisco, highlighting the shared commitment of all stakeholders involved to advance a collaborative and responsible path forward on AI innovation, governance, and transformation.

This summit marks a significant milestone, as it lays the groundwork for the alliance’s first-ever publication. The AI Governance Alliance Briefing Series represents the pinnacle of collective expertise, underscoring the alliance’s unwavering commitment to a multi-stakeholder approach in addressing today’s complex challenges in AI governance. The publication comprises three briefs, each aligned with one of the alliance’s working groups, encapsulating the ethos of developing responsible AI—and setting the stage for ongoing dialogue that transcends geographical boundaries and organizational silos.

"Presidio AI Framework: Toward Secure Generative AI Models"This briefing was developed jointly by the Security Systems and Technology Division and IBM Consulting, analyzing both the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI, while highlighting critical issues in the model lifecycle, such as the lack of a standardized approach. The introduction of the Presidio AI Framework serves as a foundational cornerstone, advocating for early risk identification through robust safeguards, shared accountability, and proactive risk management.

"Unlocking Value from Generative AI: Guiding a Responsible Transformation"This briefing was developed jointly by the Responsible Applications and Transformation Division in collaboration with IBM Consulting, exploring the rapid adoption and profound impact of generative AI following OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT. It recommends conducting use-case-driven assessments, emphasizing the critical role of multi-stakeholder governance, transparent communication, robust operational frameworks, and value-based change management for the responsible implementation of generative AI—providing leaders with scalable, yet accountable guidance on integrating these technologies into their organizations.

"Governance of Generative AI: Building a Global Common Future"This article was co-authored by the Flexible Governance and Regulatory Authorities in collaboration with Accenture, aiming to shape the global landscape of AI governance while emphasizing the critical need for international cooperation and inclusive access. It evaluates national approaches, addresses key debates surrounding generative AI, and advocates for global coordination and standardized frameworks to prevent fragmentation.

Empowering artificial intelligence on a global scale‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Since its establishment, the AI Governance Alliance has brought together over 200 organizations and thought leaders to promote responsible AI practices in system design, industry applications, and governance.

As developed nations race to drive innovation in artificial intelligence, we must reassess the digital divide to prevent the gap between countries from widening further. The emergence of cutting-edge generative AI solutions could risk exacerbating inequalities in access and empowerment, particularly in countries of the Global South. Meanwhile, grassroots organizations are already stepping up to tackle these challenges, while the work of the AI Governance Alliance aims to ramp up efforts—calling for the establishment of global partnerships and collaborative solutions.

Leveraging its unique role in bringing together global communities spanning multiple stakeholders, the forum urges partners to unite and contribute resources toward fostering an inclusive AI ecosystem. Key approaches include enhancing access to critical elements such as data, models, and computing power, while remaining committed to promoting shared access, connectivity, and interoperability. Meanwhile, carefully nurturing and supporting local education initiatives—designed to develop talent and drive advancements in regional innovation ecosystems—is also essential.

The AI Governance Alliance is committed to coordinating public and private sectors, fostering greater inclusivity and innovation, and ensuring that artificial intelligence remains a positive force for transformative change—benefiting both humanity and global society.

As nations and industries unite to guide the ethical development of artificial intelligence, it’s clear that dialogue alone isn’t enough—concrete action is essential. By engaging multiple stakeholders and developing actionable plans and guidelines, the AI Governance Alliance aims to ensure that AI’s challenges are effectively addressed while its benefits are widely harnessed for the greater good. We believe it’s crucial to invite decision-makers, industry leaders, policymakers, and thought leaders from around the world to actively shape the future of AI-driven innovation—working together to uphold shared human values and foster inclusive societal progress that benefits everyone.

The above content solely represents the author's personal views.This article is translated from the World Economic Forum's Agenda blog; the Chinese version is for reference purposes only.Feel free to share this on WeChat Moments; please leave a comment below the post if you’d like to republish.

Translated by: Wu Yimeng | Edited by: Wang Can

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