From 14-15 November, Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Members, alongside the Coalition’s multistakeholder Advisory Network (FOC-AN), Observers, and other stakeholders, convened in Geneva, Switzerland for the final Strategy and Coordination Meeting (SCM) of the U.S. Chairship in 2023. Leveraging the location of the SCM, representatives from the FOC Geneva diplomatic network joined the event, aiming to strengthen alignment of capital and mission priorities in 2024.
During Day 1 of the SCM, FOC and FOC-AN reflected on the work of the Coalition during the 2023 U.S. Chairship and discussed the 2024 Program of Action under the upcoming Dutch Chairship. FOC Members also engaged in a Joint Roundtable meeting with civil society, academia, and private sector representatives from the FOC-AN to explore strategies for FOC engagement in the Global Digital Compact (GDC) process, as well as other upcoming opportunities, including the World Summit on the Information Society Review Process (WSIS+20). The day closed with the Coalition’s Task Force on Trustworthy Information Online (TFTIO) collaborative workshop on developing principles for a trustworthy information ecosystem.
Alongside FOC and FOC-AN Members, Day 2 of the SCM featured external stakeholders who facilitated and participated in sessions. In addition to reflecting on trends, challenges and opportunities to protect and promote human rights through the FOC, the Coalition held two sessions on artificial intelligence (AI), giving participants the opportunity to build their capacity and knowledge on the topic, and strengthen mutistakeholder engagement.
Organised by the FOC Task Force on AI and Human Rights (TFAIR), and facilitated by Dialecto, the Interactive Workshop on Generative AI consisted of two interactive, hands-on activities where participants engaged in teamwork, designing and analysing AI systems, and discussing real-world scenarios to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between AI design choices and ethical and legal implications. This hybrid workshop allowed participants to enhance their literacy on responsible AI and develop their skills to conduct an effective and critical dialogue with relevant experts.
The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) B-Tech Project followed with a joint session focused on future development of AI and B-Tech’s Generative AI project. GESDA’s presentation introduced key developments in AI that they foresee as relevant to the FOC and human rights including: deeper machine learning, multimodal AI, intelligent devices, and exogenous cognition. The OHCHR B-Tech Project further highlighted how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights can be leveraged to develop and govern Generative AI by providing guidance for responsible business conduct around AI, and clarifying the State’s duty to foster rights-respecting development, deployment, and use of Generative AI.
A full summary of the SCM sessions will be available on the FOC website shortly.
