APC Keynote: Charting a Multistakeholder Path for AI Governance

• The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) emphasizes that AI development is not inevitable and must be governed through inclusive, multistakeholder processes that mirror successful digital cooperation models.
• Communities must be treated as a "first mile" priority rather than a "last mile" policy afterthought to address systemic inequalities.
• Governance must include "red lines" for human rights, privacy, and environmental sustainability, specifically rejecting AI data collection without consent.

Historical Lessons and Institutional Continuity

• AI is not a new phenomenon; it has evolved through various "springs" and "winters."
• Current AI development is distinct because it is being deployed globally in societies and economies rather than remaining in experimental environments.
• Existing UN digital governance frameworks, such as the Internet Governance Forum, provide a proven model of cross-sector collaboration between governments, civil society, and the private sector that AI governance should build upon.

Equity and Inclusion

• AI systems are not neutral and often encode existing social inequalities.
• Marginalized groups, including women and gender-diverse individuals, are disproportionately harmed by AI while remaining under-represented in the institutions designing these tools.
• Inequitable access to digital connectivity means many individuals have their data harvested for AI models without having the agency or infrastructure to participate in the conversation.

Environmental and Human Rights Priorities

• AI compute infrastructure development has significant environmental costs that currently lack sufficient recognition in global policy dialogues.
• The legacy of the Snowden revelations serves as a warning for why data privacy and surveillance controls must be explicitly enforced in the rush toward AI deployment.
• APC advocates for a human-rights-centric regulatory approach that necessitates explicit consent for data collection.