UNESCO’s 2020 Open Dialogue on AI Ethics: Inclusive Consultation for Global AI Governance
In summer 2020 UNESCO convened a global ‘Open Dialogue on AI Ethics’ to gather feedback on a draft recommendation. Led by Mila and Algora Lab, the consultation organised 37 workshops and 11 deliberation webinars, engaging 611 participants from over 54 countries to debate ethical principles, such as human rights, fairness and transparency, and to co‑construct recommendations for AI governance【791357249219983†L145-L154】【902589115298879†L18-L33】. The resulting report, delivered to UNESCO in August 2020, informed the final Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence adopted in 2021【584515464969407†L79-L100】.
Background and purpose. In 2019 UNESCO’s General Conference mandated the organisation to prepare an international standard‑setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence. To ensure the resulting recommendation reflected global values and diverse experiences, UNESCO convened the Open Dialogue on AI Ethics in mid‑2020. The dialogue invited people from around the world to deliberate on a draft text prepared by UNESCO’s Ad Hoc Expert Group and to help shape a forthcoming Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.
Consultation design and participants. The Open Dialogue was organised by Mila and Algora Lab at the University of Montreal in partnership with UNESCO and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). Between 15 July and 10 August 2020, the organisers held an intensive programme of virtual deliberation. The Obvia/Algora report notes that the process included 37 deliberative workshops and 11 “delibenars”—webinar‑style events—drawing 611 participants from more than 54 countries【791357249219983†L145-L154】. Another summary explains that the dialogue used the “co‑construction” method from the Montréal Declaration, and about 50 deliberative activities were conducted over the summer【902589115298879†L18-L33】. Participants represented a mix of member‑state representatives, academic experts, civil‑society activists and ordinary citizens.
Topics and deliberation method. Each session centred on a draft recommendation text prepared by UNESCO’s Ad Hoc Expert Group. Participants reviewed the draft, identified omissions and debated ethical principles. Common themes included the need for AI to respect human rights and human dignity, eliminate discrimination, promote diversity and gender equality, ensure transparency and explainability, guarantee human oversight and accountability, preserve privacy, and support sustainability. Sessions were structured to encourage cross‑cultural dialogue and used small‑group breakouts followed by plenary discussions. This deliberative format allowed participants from different countries and backgrounds to co‑construct proposals and highlight cultural perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked.
Outcomes and recommendations. At the end of the consultations, moderators consolidated feedback into an analysis report. The report was presented to UNESCO’s Ad Hoc Expert Group on 17 August 2020【584515464969407†L79-L100】. The aggregated recommendations called for the draft to more explicitly anchor AI ethics in international human rights law; to articulate principles of fairness, transparency, safety, security and accountability; to include provisions on public participation and periodic ethical impact assessments; and to emphasise the needs of developing countries. Participants also urged UNESCO to adopt mechanisms to monitor implementation and to provide capacity‑building resources so that low‑ and middle‑income countries could meet the standards.
Significance and legacy. The Open Dialogue on AI Ethics remains one of the largest and most inclusive public consultations ever organised on artificial intelligence. With 611 participants from 54 countries and dozens of workshops, it demonstrated that inclusive, multi‑stakeholder deliberation is possible even during a pandemic【791357249219983†L145-L154】【902589115298879†L18-L33】. The process highlighted how ethical AI must account for social, cultural and economic diversity, and it foregrounded the voices of civil society and marginalised groups. UNESCO incorporated the dialogue’s outcomes—along with regional consultations and an online survey—into its final Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by all 193 member states in November 2021【584515464969407†L79-L100】. The success of this deliberative process has since inspired similar citizen‑consultation models for AI governance and underscored the importance of transparency and public participation in the development of AI policy.
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