About AI Connect
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies hold great promise to increase prosperity and innovation, as well as enrich the human experience. The AI Connect program seeks to foster a global community of government, academic, industry, and civil society stakeholders with a vested interest in advancing the responsible stewardship of trustworthy AI as embodied in the OECD Recommendation on AI. With the promotion of this concept in mind, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy has partnered with the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center to implement the AI Connect program. This extensive grant provides programmatic assistance to empower low- and middle-income countries to more effectively participate in global, multi-stakeholder conversations on the responsible use of AI. AI Connect currently has three lines of effort in pursuit of these goals:
1. Monthly webinar series on AI principles and applications across sectors
Focused on building AI policy capacity, the monthly webinar series provides a platform for AI Connect participants from around the world to learn about AI policy best practices and implications. Webinar topics focus on opportunities and challenges in responsibly developing and deploying AI technologies across sectors in line with human-centric values in the OECD AI Principles. Through dynamic presentations, panels, and technology demonstrations, the webinar curriculum emphasizes the benefits of engagement with international fora working on AI issues, such as the OECD, and ensuring that industry, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders are included in the development of AI policy approaches.
2. In-person regional workshops and site visits
The AI Connect program also convenes participants and the wider multistakeholder community of AI experts for regional workshops focusing on the Indo-Pacific, Central and South America, Europe, and Africa. During these workshops, AI Connect participants hear from policy and technical experts in their field; examine case studies and best practices from their own home regions; network with other AI Connect participants; and analyze the most pressing issues in AI policy. The workshops include site visits to engage directly with the local community of AI developers and relevant stakeholders.
3. Travel funding to attend global AI conferences
Lastly, the program includes travel funding to send AI Connect participants to multilateral meetings and global conferences focused on AI. The AI Connect program aims to provide these opportunities for participants to engage in discussions on critical AI topics with experts and stakeholders around the world to create a more inclusive and representative global AI community.