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IGF 2023 WS #243 AI and the Future of Work: Bridging Global Digital Divides

    Organizer 1: Mardiya Siba Yahaya, 🔒 Pollicy
    Organizer 2: Bobina Zulfa, Pollicy
    Organizer 3: Amber Sinha, Pollicy

    Speaker 1: Neema Iyer, Private Sector, African Group
    Speaker 2: Kavita Dattani, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 3: Bonnita Nyamwire, Civil Society, African Group

    Moderator

    Mardiya Siba Yahaya, Civil Society, African Group

    Online Moderator

    Amber Sinha, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

    Rapporteur

    Bobina Zulfa, Civil Society, African Group

    Format

    Round Table - 60 Min

    Policy Question(s)

    A. How can policymakers ensure that AI technologies advance gender equality in the digital economy?

    B. How can we bridge the global digital divide to ensure inclusive access to AI-driven opportunities?

    C. What role do various stakeholders play in fostering an inclusive and equitable digital future?

    What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain insights into the intersection of AI, digital inclusion, and gender equality in the future of work. They will learn about the potential impacts of AI on job displacement and creation, the perpetuation of digital divides, and the resultant effects on women, particularly in the Global South. The session will foster understanding of policy measures and multi-stakeholder strategies for fostering inclusive and equitable digital societies. Participants will also leave with a better understanding of their role in advocating for, and achieving, a just digital future.

    Description:

    This session will explore the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of work, focusing on its effects on gender inequality, especially among women in the Global South. In the wake of an increasingly digitised global economy, AI is expected to displace various jobs while also creating new opportunities. However, the digital divide continues to threaten equitable access to these opportunities, with women and marginalised communities at the risk of being left behind and disproportionately experiencing potentially harmful implications of AI.

    In a dynamic and interactive session, we will discuss how stakeholders can collaboratively promote inclusive AI technologies and bridge the digital divide, fostering an environment that empowers women and marginalised communities, and advocates for their rights in the digital space.

    Expected Outcomes

    The expected outcome is an inclusive discourse that generates actionable insights and recommendations to mitigate the risks posed by AI to women and marginalised communities in the future of work. The session should foster collaborations, set a premise for future dialogues, and feed into a report on digital inclusion strategies for the AI era.

    Hybrid Format: To facilitate interaction, we will use a dedicated virtual platform allowing seamless communication between onsite and online participants. Online participants will have opportunities to contribute via live chat, Q&A, and polling features. Onsite moderators will incorporate online input into the session in real-time. To ensure quality participation, we will conduct pre-session technical checks with online speakers, if any. The session design will be highly interactive, with facilitated discussions and interactive polls to engage both onsite and online participants.