October 27, 2023
PRESS RELEASE
Digital Rights Foundation’s (DRF) Executive Director Nighat Dad has joined the United Nations Secretary General’s high-level advisory board on Artificial Intelligence (AI) along with esteemed distinguished individuals from across the globe. The board will address the overarching theme of addressing global governance of AI.
The AI advisory body’s interim recommendations by the end of the year will focus on three main areas which will be the international governance of AI and generative AI and shared understanding of risks and challenges associated deployment of these technologies. The body will also be addressing key opportunities and enablers for leveraging AI to accelerate the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Nighat Dad shares her delight in being part of the advisory board. She highlights, ‘I am honored to serve on this high-level advisory board focused on the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which bring opportunities yet presents significant challenges. I’m excited to bring a global majority world perspective to our discussions and emphasize the importance of recognizing the potential human rights issues that may affect marginalized communities worldwide as we embrace new technologies. My goal is to address real-time threats and vulnerabilities faced by these communities and shed light on emerging problems through an intersectional lens while considering global AI governance.’
The board will also bolster the need for member states to act deliberately and quickly on existing and upcoming governance structures on AI being adopted by states. The board will be developing AI governance mechanisms for member states and over the course of years assisting and facilitating in implementation of these governance mechanisms from a human rights and digital rights perspective. Global majority member states are still in the process of deploying AI-facilitated technologies at the time. There needs to be education and awareness of the implications these technologies would pose which the board will be addressing in its convenings and recommendations to member states.
Digital Rights Foundation is a registered research-based NGO in Pakistan. Founded in 2012, DRF focuses on ICTs to support human rights, inclusiveness, democratic processes, and digital governance. DRF works on issues of online free speech, privacy, data protection and online violence against women.