Connected Conversation: How can we ensure meaningful community and public participation in the governance and implementation of the EU’s AI Act?
“Nothing About Us, Without Us?”
As the dust settles on the legislative process of the EU’s AI Act, the focus is now on its implementation and enforcement.
The EU has developed Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, including principles such as transparency, diversity, non-discrimination and fairness, and social and environmental well-being. It has established new governance mechanisms, such as the European AI Office, Scientific Panel and multi-stakeholder Advisory Forum, which will play a key role in implementing the Act and in fostering the development and use of “human-centric and trustworthy AI” within Europe and globally. EU Member States have been tasked with establishing or designating competent national authorities to oversee the Act’s implementation at the national level.
Effectively governing AI will require involving and empowering people and affected communities in designing, developing, and deploying digital technologies and the policies intended to regulate them. Strengthening networks of civil society actors working across the digital rights and social justice domains will be critical for ensuring that the benefits of AI are equitable, leaving no one behind, and significant harms are not overlooked.
In this Connected Conversation, we will explore the opportunities for meaningful community and public participation in the governance and implementation of the EU’s AI Act.
When: Tuesday 10 September 2024, 13:00-14:00 CET Where: Zoom
To attend please contact Helena for the Zoom details.
Key questions
- What are the challenges of ensuring meaningful community and public participation in decision-making on AI?
- What are the opportunities or entry points for collective action on meaningful community and public participation in decision-making on AI, both at EU level and member state levels?
- How are organisations planning to engage on this agenda over the coming months?
- How could we work together collectively on this agenda to achieve effective change?
Invited contributions
- EU perspective: Connor Dunlop, European Public Policy Lead, Ada Lovelace will present the governance structure proposed in the EU’s AI Act. They have done extensive research on inclusive governance and meaningful public participation and recently hosted a round table on EU AI standards development and civil society participation.
- National perspective: Lucia Paz Errandonea, Spain, will share her involvement in ParticipationAI.
- Digital justice perspective: Laurence Meyr, Racial and Social Lead, Digital Freedom Fund will present the Weaving Liberation Initiative and their vision for a digital justice ecosystem in Europe.
- Chiara Giovannini, Deputy Director-General ANEC-BEUC will present their work on the role of consumers and civil society in AI standardisation.