The main G20 engagement groups – including Civil 20 (C20), Labor 20 (L20), Think 20 (T20) and Women 20 (W20) – on Tuesday September 10, 2024 released a joint statement on the ethical, sustainable and inclusive development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). In response to the growing influence of AI on global economies, societies and governance, the Civil 20 (C20), Labor 20 (L20), Think 20 (T20) and Women 20 (W20) engagement groups have come together to stress the importance of responsible AI practices.
The “São Luís Declaration” outlines a shared vision and strategic recommendations for AI’s future within the G20 framework. It is named after the city in Northeast Brazil, where the third G20 Digital Economy Working Group meeting took place in June. São Luís also hosted the “AI Summit: Bridging Boundaries,” a T20 event co-organized by Data Privacy Brasil, where the groundwork for the declaration was laid.
The declaration represents a significant milestone in the G20’s dynamics and the plural and multistakeholder construction of policies on such a transversal issue. The engagement groups, whose purpose is to bring policy recommendations to the G20 Sherpa track, sought beyond their interests to align their demands and expectations with other groups so that, together, their recommendations would carry more weight. Furthermore, the fact that four groups are aligned on the points presented in the Declaration increases the legitimacy of the document, which will be delivered to the Digital Economy Working Group during its final meeting in Maceió, Brazil, in September 2024.
Key points of the declaration include decent work, meaningful inclusion and climate and social justice, especially taking into account the specificities of different jurisdictions and hyper-vulnerable groups through an intersectional approach; the data justice approach, which means actively avoiding discrimination and acknowledging power asymmetries at the global level; and regulatory interoperability amongst the AI governance approaches, to promote greater certainty, transparency and accountability, also complying with safety standards.
“As representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Labour Unions, Think Tanks and Women (respectively C20, L20, T20 and W20), we recognize the crucial importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the current context for an inclusive digital transformation. We recognize that AI and other emerging technologies, when shaped to be safe, secure, and trustworthy, can be pivotal for achieving the SDGs. We also consider in this joint declaration, the role of AI in helping to address the three main priorities of the G20 Brazilian presidency, which are the reduction of poverty and inequalities in energy transition, and also some changes in global governance institutions,” reads the statement.
“We acknowledge the relevance of ensuring an inclusive digital transformation for societies regarding decent work, meaningful inclusion and climate and social justice, especially taking into account the specificities of different jurisdictions and hyper-vulnerable groups through an intersectional approach (e.g, gender and race). For that purpose, we make this political commitment to partnering with G20 countries to foster responsible innovation and promote the development and use of AI for socioeconomic progress, sharing its benefits with all.”
Overall, the the Declaration represents the NGOs’ commitment to a collaborative and inclusive approach to harnessing the potential of AI, while ensuring that ethical principles, fundamental rights and the interests of communities and the global populace are protected and respected.
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