The Summit of the Future (September 22-23 2024) will be a decisive moment for global diplomacy and the international norm-building process in the sphere of Artificial Intelligence (AI). At the summit, world leaders and stakeholders are to come together under the aegis of the United Nations to advance the Global Digital Compact (GDC). The GDC aims to build a collaborative multi-stakeholder framework that strives to address the digital divide, advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and create a secure and inclusive digital environment. Crucially, it seeks to strengthen the international governance of emerging technologies, including AI, to ensure that they align with fundamental rights and values. As digital technologies continue to shape our societal and geopolitical landscape, it is imperative for India to not only to engage with but also actively shape the international discourse on the international governance of AI.
Geopolitical contestation
Parallel to the GDC, the UN General Assembly recently adopted two key resolutions on AI led by the United States and China. The U.S.-led resolution, on ‘Safe, Secure and Trustworthy AI for Sustainable Development’, advocates a harmonised approach to AI governance and encourages member countries to develop shared ethical principles, data protection measures and transparency standards. By promoting a harmonised approach to AI governance, the U.S. aims to assert dominance in AI technology and dictate the terms of its development worldwide. On the other hand, the China-led resolution, on ‘Enhancing Cooperation on Capacity Building of AI’, focuses on equitable benefits from AI development, bridging the digital divide, and promoting an open and non-discriminatory business environment. The resolution not only prioritises inclusivity and equitable development but also strategically positions China as an important player in global trade and technology standards. These resolutions are deeply intertwined with each country’s interests and highlight growing geopolitical contestation in the domain of digital governance.
The UN is quickly emerging as the apex forum for shaping and harmonising global standards on AI — something not entirely unexpected given the impact of AI on markets and societies. The UN offers an inclusive platform to articulate challenges, reconcile diverse national interests and promote international cooperation mechanisms. India has an active and long-standing engagement at the UN and strategic engagements at the G-20 and Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). India can, therefore, seize the opportunity to ensure that the GDC aligns with its developmental priorities and ethical standards, bridges the global digital divide, and meaningfully commits to the interests of the Global South.
India has a deep historical legacy and influence at the UN, even as it has championed the issues of the Global South. This is most evident from its engagement in international climate negotiations where it has consistently advocated the principle of equity and climate justice as the basis of global climate action. India positioned itself as a key player in climate negotiations following the UNGA Resolution 44/207 in 1989 and contributed to integrating the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), which acknowledged that developed countries bore the primary responsibility for climate change. India led significant efforts to shape the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, ensuring that developing countries like itself are not subjected to obligations not aligned with their developmental plans and priorities; it emphasised the need for technology transfer and financial support from developed countries.
India’s diplomatic weight
India also played a pivotal role in forming coalitions of developing countries to ensure that their perspectives are adequately represented throughout negotiations. India created the Green Group alliance comprising 72 like-minded developing countries at the first Conference of Parties under the UNFCCC to counter demands from the developed countries to have stringent commitments on developing countries. India also worked closely with Brazil, South Africa and China to form the BASIC Group to safeguard its developmental and poverty reduction objectives in the 2000s. India continues this trend of active participation — evident in the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed at the Dubai Summit — where it advocated fair terms and obligations that consider the varied capabilities and needs of developing countries.
India’s history of leading Global South negotiations, along with the unique challenges it faces, positions it as an important contender in debates around AI. As a Global South country, India grapples with structural inequalities in the AI innovation landscape. This includes a lack of advanced computing infrastructure, high-quality data sets, and capital. Just as India advocated differential needs and responsibilities in climate agreements, it must now ensure that discussions around AI governance include considerations of equity, accessibility and fairness.
India has succeeded in registering these considerations at other international fora as seen in the G-20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration and the GPAI Ministerial Declaration. Under India’s leadership, the G-20 and the GPAI have underscored the importance of fair access to critical AI resources, emphasised equitable sharing of AI benefits, and mitigated risks while fostering international cooperation. It is crucial to voice these concerns to the UN. The UN has unique legitimacy as an organisation with universal membership and a well-established framework grounded in the rule of law, a Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), and SDGs that offer clear pathways to accountability. India is adept at building coalitions and advancing first principles that prioritise the interests of the Global South. By leveraging the UN platform, India can amplify its existing efforts on a wider scale, ensuring that the voices of developing countries are heard.
India should push for more equitable access to AI technology, building technical capacity, and creating institutional mechanisms for knowledge sharing to ensure that all countries can harness the benefits of AI. India can use this opportunity to redefine the multi-stakeholder model to be more inclusive — one that actively includes voices from the Global South, particularly those from marginalised and under-represented groups. This includes creating a platform accessible to smaller non-governmental organisations, small and medium enterprises, and groups that otherwise lack the resources to participate in global discussions.
In addition, India should also advocate a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to AI governance that respects human rights, aligns with existing international laws and standards, and ensures that AI systems are designed to be inclusive, fair and representative of diverse global perspectives.
Address the challenges
India’s advocacy for a fair and inclusive AI governance framework is also crucial in the context of bipolar dynamics between the U.S. and China, where both countries are driving the AI governance discourse to advance their strategic interests. This risks sidelining the unique needs and perspectives of the Global South. The wide gaps between developed and developing countries are starkly evident in the realm of AI advancements. While developed countries have readily available resources, developing countries lack even the basic infrastructure, Internet access, and electricity — absolute essentials for AI advancements. Addressing these challenges requires a localised understanding and approach, which might be overlooked or simplified by those unfamiliar with these specific contexts. This can result in policies and frameworks that fail to address the root issues faced by developing countries, limit the effectiveness of global AI governance initiatives, and exacerbate existing inequalities.
India’s historical legacy of advocating the interests of the Global South, robust engagement at international fora, and lived experiences as a Global South country make it well-positioned to lead these conversations. Its active engagement will not only advance its interests but will also contribute towards a balanced and sustainable digital future.
Sukanya Thapliyal is an AI policy expert with the Koan Advisory Group, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal
