UNESCO Forum Hears Algerian AI Governance Advocacy
Algeria has called for the establishment of an international agency for Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance, advocating for equitable cooperation to benefit all humanity. The proposal was put forth by Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Sid Ali Zerrouki, during a closed ministerial meeting held on the sidelines of the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This initiative underscores Algeria's commitment to shaping a responsible and inclusive future for AI development on the global stage.
During his address, Minister Zerrouki highlighted the critical need to bridge capacity gaps in AI and to bolster national sovereignty in this rapidly evolving domain. He warned against the current concentration of capabilities for designing, developing, and operating AI systems in a limited number of countries and corporations. He emphasized that for many nations, the challenge extends beyond regulatory frameworks to include fundamental access to computing power, data infrastructure, energy, necessary skills, models, and financing, asserting that such concentration could lead to structural dependence on decisions made elsewhere.
The Minister clarified that AI sovereignty should not be misconstrued as technological isolation, but rather as the cultivation of sufficient national capacity to comprehend, evaluate, govern, and progressively advance the AI systems that increasingly underpin economies, administrations, and societies. He urged a qualitative advancement in international cooperation for AI, moving beyond mere training to focus on building effective capacities. He also stressed the pivotal role of UNESCO in defining an operational framework that establishes a minimum threshold for governance capabilities and technical competencies for every member state, affirming that ethical AI necessitates equitable participation in its design.
Further demonstrating its comprehensive engagement with AI governance, a delegation from Algeria's National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) participated in a regional workshop in Manama, Bahrain. This workshop focused on responsible AI governance specifically within Arab countries, complementing Algeria's international advocacy efforts and reinforcing its commitment to ensuring human rights considerations are integrated into the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.
