Relevance to Theme: One of the most pressing questions of internet governance nowadays is how to regulate technology, especially AI. We believe that the concept of sustainability provides a high-level framework for proper management of both AI growth, and of data databases that are the necessary condition for AI development. By thinking about sustainability, we establish principles and recommendations that are society-centric: ensuring not just business growth but also broader, positive social and economic outcomes.
We have been exploring the significance of the concept of digital inclusion for shaping the growth of AI technologies through a series of policy roundtables titled “Digital Sustainability Forum” . These have been organized in Poland, since late 2018, by a coalition consisting of Digital Poland foundation, Centrum Cyfrowe foundation and Microsoft. We believe that this framework can in particular be employed by states like Poland, that are not early adopters of AI technologies. These states face different challenges than AI leaders, for example related to changes to the job market, availability of data sources or digital inclusion of societies.
Relevance to Internet Governance: The digital sustainability framework can be employed bo policymakers and key stakeholders to develop frameworks for the growth of AI tech and industry (or other digital technologies) in a manner that provides balanced and advantageous technological growth. It is a framework that we have been developing by design to support a multi-stakeholder approach, based on an ecosystem model that engages multiple actors in the process of governance.
Initially, we applied the digital sustainability framework to policies related to AI, as a key technology shaping the digital sphere. The concept of digital sustainability has been developed in Poland, at the phase when national AI strategy was being developed. We believe that this concept is of particular use to states and societies that are not early adopters of AI technologies, and face the challenge of not just developing the AI sector, but mitigating potential negative effects of technological growth.
The concept is applicable also to other aspects and focus areas of Internet governance. In the next phase, we will be applying it to the issue of cybersecurity, for example.