Proposal

APrIGF 2024 Session Proposal Submission Form
Part 1 - Lead Organizer
Contact Person
Ms. Karlina Octaviany, and Ms. Socheata Sokhachan
Email
Organization / Affiliation (Please state "Individual" if appropriate) *
FAIR Forward, GIZ Indonesia and NetMission.Asia
Designation
Artificial Intelligence Advisor and NetMission Ambassador
Gender
Female
Economy of Residence
Indonesia
Primary Stakeholder Group
Intergovernmental Organizations
List Your Organizing Partners (if any)
(Co-lead Organizer) Socheata Sokhachan, NetMission, socheata.sokhachan@netmission.asia
Aviral Kaintura, Netmission.Asia, procodecavi@gmail.com
Iqra Ejaz, Netmission.Asia, iqraejaz49@gmail.com
Rupam Barui, National Forensic Sciences University, rupambarui.17@gmail.com
Jasmine Ko, Hong Kong Youth Internet Governance Forum, aiesec.jasmineko@gmail.com
Ruth Schmidt, Fair Forward – Artificial IntelIigence for All, ruth.schmidt@giz.de
Part 2 - Session Proposal
Session Title
Is Asia-Pacific Ready for AI? Balancing Innovation, Ethical Governance, and Marginalized Needs
Session Format
Panel Discussion (60 minutes)
Where do you plan to organize your session?
Onsite at the venue (with online moderator for questions and comments from remote participants)
Specific Issues for Discussion
The rapid development and widespread implementation of AI technologies across the Asia-Pacific region bring significant ethical concerns due to the region's cultural, legal, and socioeconomic diversity. As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, it is crucial to address governance challenges to ensure societal benefits and mitigate risks.

This session aims to explore the complex nature of the AI governance ecosystem in the Asia-Pacific, with a focus on balancing innovation with ethical governance. We will draw insights from established frameworks, which emphasizes human rights, accountability, and transparency. These models offer valuable lessons, allowing us to learn from their successes while identifying existing gaps and challenges.

Points of Discussion:

1. Key Challenges and Considerations for AI Governance: What are the key challenges and considerations for AI governance in the Asia-Pacific, given its diverse cultural, legal, and socio-economic settings?
2. Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: How can multi-stakeholder collaboration address AI risks and unintended consequences and promote its potential social and economic benefits? What would responsible AI look like to marginalized communities?
3. Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders: What are the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in AI development and deployment? How can policy frameworks be exchanged among stakeholders?
4. Access to Global Public Goods: Promoting access to globally usable public goods by facilitating access to training data and AI technologies for local innovation.
5. AI Use Cases for Local Needs: Promoting AI use cases for local needs and challenges, including SDGs, climate change, and rural innovation.
Describe the Relevance of Your Session to APrIGF
Our session, “Is Asia-Pacific Ready for AI? Balancing Innovation, Ethical Governance, and Marginalized Needs,” directly relates to APrIGF 2024’s theme: Evolving Ecosystems, Enduring Principles: Shaping Responsible Internet Governance, and the sub-theme: Ethical Governance of Emerging Technologies. The session will tackle key issues at the crossroads of AI innovation and ethical governance, which are pivotal for the Asia-Pacific region's dynamic digital landscape.

The session will examine the ethical and governance frameworks required to manage AI advancements effectively. By analyzing existing models, we aim to illustrate how these frameworks can be adapted and implemented across the diverse cultural, legal, and socioeconomic environments in the Asia-Pacific region. This aligns with the sub-theme's focus on ethical governance and provides practical insights for stakeholders.

The session will emphasize balancing technological innovation with ethical and societal considerations, ensuring that AI technologies contribute positively to social and economic development without exacerbating inequalities or ethical dilemmas. This balance is essential for fostering responsible AI use that benefits all sectors of society. By involving representatives from governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations, the session underscores the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration. This inclusive approach resonates with APrIGF’s commitment to fostering dialogue and cooperation among diverse stakeholders to tackle complex internet governance and emerging technology issues.
Methodology / Agenda (Please add rows by clicking "+" on the right)
Time frame (e.g. 5 minutes, 20 minutes, should add up to 60 minutes) Description
5 minutes Introduction: Welcome Introduce the session and its objectives. Briefly introduce each panellist.
10 minutes Opening Remarks: Provide context of the topic, objectives and points of discussion.
20 minutes Panelist Presentations
15 minutes Moderated Discussion on collaborative strategies to address the challenges and issues Panelists share their perspectives on key challenges and considerations for AI governance in the Asia-Pacific.
10 minutes Audience Q&A Open the floor for audience questions. Encourage participants to engage with panelists and share their thoughts. Closing remarks.
Moderators & Speakers Info (Please complete where possible)
  • Moderator (Primary)

    • Name: Jasmine Ko
    • Organization: Hong Kong Youth Internet Governance Forum
    • Designation: Convener
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Hongkong
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-ko-ym/
  • Moderator (Facilitator)

    • Name: Rupam
    • Organization: National Forensic Sciences University
    • Designation: Student
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: India
    • Stakeholder Group: Academia
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/codetrident/
  • Speaker 1

    • Name: Jenna Manhau Fung
    • Organization: Jen Z issues
    • Designation: Founder & Independent Policy Analyst
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Hong Kong
    • Stakeholder Group: Press / Media
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-fung/
  • Speaker 2

    • Name: Karlina Octaviany
    • Organization: FAIR Forward - Artificial Intelligence for All, GIZ Indonesia
    • Designation: Artificial Intelligence Advisor
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Indonesia
    • Stakeholder Group: Intergovernmental Organizations
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://id.linkedin.com/in/karlinaoc
  • Speaker 3

    • Name: Poren Chiang
    • Organization: Access Now
    • Designation: Asia Pacific Policy Extern
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Taiwan
    • Stakeholder Group: Academia
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://poren.tw/
  • Speaker 4

    • Name: Ruth Schmidt
    • Organization: FAIR Forward - Artificial Intelligence for All, GIZ
    • Designation: Artificial Intelligence Advisor
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: German
    • Stakeholder Group: Intergovernmental Organizations
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://de.linkedin.com/in/ruth-schmidt
Please explain the rationale for choosing each of the above contributors to the session.
Jenna Manhau Fung
Role: Founder & Independent Policy Analyst, Jen Z issues
Expertise: Jenna is an independent policy analyst and the founder of a tech policy newsletter named “Jen Z issues”. She is an internet governance enthusiast and a public policy nerd. Her interests intersect the technicality of internet technology and public participation in policymaking.
Jenna wears multiple hats in her professional career, she is the Program Director of NetMission Academy, a digital literacy program in Asia Pacific, and she serves as the NRI coordinator for the Asia Pacific Youth IGF. Both professionally and personally, Jenna has been actively involved in influential or leadership capacities with the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) youth community and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) community since 2018. Jenna is now exploring unconventional education alternatives by joining voluntary research groups on digital policies in Asia Pacific, Paris, and Washington D.C. She recently completed the CanStudyUS Fellowship 2024 at Toronto Metropolitan University. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she now resides in Toronto, Canada. Jenna is also a flamenco dancer, a passionate reader, and cat lover.

Poren Chiang
Role: Asia Pacific Policy Extern, Access Now.
Poren Chiang is a digital law researcher and software developer based in Taiwan. His research agenda focuses on digital governance and open data. Poren writes on a wide range of topics including data surveillance, FLOSS licenses, social media regulations, freedom of speech, and other constitutional law topics in the digital world. His expertise in both legal and technical aspects of digital governance makes him a valuable contributor to discussions on responsible AI governance and regulation.

Karlina Octaviany
Role: Artificial Intelligence Advisor, FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All.
Karlina Octaviany’s extensive background as a digital anthropologist and digital communication strategist, coupled with her over fifteen years of experience in journalism, digital media, knowledge management, and community-driven development, make her a key contributor to the session. As an adviser for AI at FAIR Forward, GIZ Indonesia, she is actively involved in implementing global AI projects that focus on open and sustainable AI development. Her work supports partnering countries in Africa and Asia, aligning with the session’s focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Karlina's activism for safe internet access for women and vulnerable communities ensures that the session addresses the needs of marginalized groups. Her academic background in Digital Anthropology from University College London and her experience as a UK Government Chevening FCO scholar further enhance her credibility and expertise.

Dr. Ruth Schmidt
Role: Advisor, FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All.
Dr. Ruth Schmidt’s background as a microbial ecologist turned data scientist provides a unique perspective on the intersection of AI and sustainability. As an advisor for AI at the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), she plays a pivotal role in promoting an open, inclusive, and sustainable approach to AI on an international level. Her leadership in research projects focusing on sustainable solutions for agriculture, food security, and climate change aligns with the session’s emphasis on AI use cases for local needs, including SDGs, climate change, and rural innovation. Dr. Schmidt’s experience in translating science into policy action and her consultancy work for organizations such as IUCN and IFAD underscore her ability to connect scientific research with practical policy applications, making her contributions highly relevant to the session.
Please declare if you have any potential conflict of interest with the Program Committee 2024.
No
Are you or other session contributors planning to apply for the APrIGF Fellowship Program 2024?
Yes
Brief Summary of Your Session
The APrIGF 2024 panel discussion, titled "Is Asia-Pacific Ready for AI? Balancing Innovation, Ethical Governance, and Marginalized Needs," explored the challenges of AI governance in the region. Key topics included the ethical frameworks needed to guide AI development, ensuring societal values are reflected, and addressing the impact of AI on marginalized communities. Panelists stressed the importance of transparent data collection, preserving Indigenous knowledge, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Concerns about job displacement, the digital divide, and bias in AI systems were also discussed, with a focus on balancing innovation with ethical oversight to ensure inclusive and sustainable AI development.
Substantive Summary of the Key Issues Raised and the Discussion
The session "Is Asia-Pacific Ready for AI? Balancing Innovation, Ethical Governance, and Marginalized Needs" at APrIGF 2024 raised critical issues surrounding AI governance in the region. Panelists highlighted the need for robust ethical frameworks that prioritize transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in AI development. Discussions focused on the societal risks posed by AI, including biased algorithms, job displacement, and widening inequalities, especially for marginalized and Indigenous communities.

Speakers from FAIR Forward - Artificial Intelligence for All programme from GIZ Indonesia, Karlina Octaviany and Ruth Schmidt from Germany highlighted the importance of ethical AI and marginalised inclusion, especially from Asia-Pacific. FAIR Forward in Indonesia projects showcased that it is possible to successfully run AI projects on practices that follows ethical guidelines for more open, inclusive and sustainable approach to AI on an international level.

The FAIR Forward Indonesia projects focused on open-source AI for local innovation through collecting tropical forest field data through High Carbon Stock Approach; developing text datasets, languages models, and benchmark for vulnerable three regional languages Minangkabau, Bali, and Bugis for indigenous people inclusion; AI-based mis/disinformation detection system for climate mis/disinformation; and AI Policymakers Training with ethical AI and human rights, gender and disability inclusion handbook. FAIR Forward also emphasized AI workforce inclusion to minimize bias by including diverse gender and People with Disability workers perspective in developing AI models.

There was significant emphasis on the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration—among governments, private sector, civil society, and marginalized groups—to co-create policies that ensure responsible AI use. Ethical governance was seen as crucial to preventing exploitation and preserving digital and human rights, particularly concerning data privacy and consent.

Concerns were also raised about the potential of AI to exacerbate the digital divide, particularly in less-developed areas. The session underscored the importance of capacity building and digital literacy to ensure that no one is left behind in the AI revolution. Participants stressed that AI innovation must be balanced with ethical oversight to ensure that its benefits are equitably shared across the Asia-Pacific region. Questions raised by People with Disability participant on the importance of disability inclusion for AI development, like for the blinds and learning disability to ensure no one left behind.
Conclusions and Suggestions of Way Forward
The session concluded that for the Asia-Pacific region to be adequately prepared for the rapid advancements in AI, a multifaceted approach is needed. Key recommendations include:

Strengthening Ethical Governance: Governments and policymakers should prioritize creating comprehensive AI regulations that safeguard ethical principles, including transparency, accountability, and fairness, particularly in addressing algorithmic biases and discrimination.

Inclusive Policy Development: The inclusion of marginalized communities and civil society in AI policy formulation and AI model workforce is essential to ensure that the technology benefits all sectors of society, especially those most at risk of being left behind.

Capacity Building: Investing in digital literacy and AI-related education is crucial to equip individuals with the skills necessary to understand and engage with AI technologies. This is especially important for marginalized groups, who may be disproportionately affected by AI-driven changes in employment and services.

Collaboration Across Sectors: Multi-stakeholder collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society was seen as key to developing balanced AI policies that promote innovation while protecting human rights.

Monitoring and Accountability: Ongoing evaluation and transparency mechanisms should be built into AI governance frameworks to ensure that AI applications are continuously monitored for ethical compliance, and that corrective actions can be taken when necessary.

The way forward involves the region developing a collective strategy, informed by shared values and guided by inclusive principles, to ensure that AI advances in a way that promotes innovation without compromising ethical standards or excluding vulnerable populations.
Number of Attendees (Please fill in numbers)
    • Online: 28
Gender Balance in Moderators/Speakers (Please fill in numbers)
  • Moderators

    • Male: 1
    • Female: 1
  • Speakers

    • Male: 1
    • Female: 3
How were gender perspectives, equality, inclusion or empowerment discussed? Please provide details and context.
Gender perspectives were actively discussed throughout the session, particularly in the context of AI's impact on marginalized communities, including women and non-binary individuals. Panelists highlighted the importance of ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed in ways that promote gender equality and do not reinforce existing biases. Specific examples included addressing algorithmic discrimination that disproportionately affects women in sectors like employment and healthcare, as well as the need for gender-sensitive AI policies to ensure equitable access to digital resources and opportunities.

The session also emphasized empowering women and marginalized groups by increasing their participation in AI policy formulation and digital literacy programs, ensuring their voices are heard and integrated into the future of AI governance in the Asia-Pacific region.
Consent
I agree that my data can be submitted to forms.for.asia and processed by APrIGF organizers for the program selection of APrIGF 2024.