IVADO launches a series of policy statements for informed AI governance

In a world where artificial intelligence is swiftly reshaping economic, social, and political systems, decision-makers are increasingly in need of strategic guidance grounded in solid and impartial expertise. To meet this urgent demand, IVADO, in collaboration with its partners, is launching an ambitious initiative: a series of policy statements designed to offer clear, actionable recommendations on the global challenges posed by AI.

An interdisciplinary collaboration for global insights

This initiative brings together leading experts from diverse fields, under the guidance of Professor Catherine Régis, Director of social innovation and international policy at IVADO, and Professor Florian Martin-Bariteau from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa. Both highlight the importance of creating a platform where globally recognized experts can collaborate and propose policy solutions to tackle pressing challenges.

“We strongly believe that open, interdisciplinary discussions among experts from diverse countries can lead to strategic recommendations with global applicability,” says Catherine Régis.

A first writing retreat in Rome

Twice a year, IVADO and its partners will organize a writing retreat bringing together a group of international experts. These intensive sessions, spanning four days, will be led by Réjean Roy, Director of training and knowledge mobilization at IVADO.

Each retreat will center around a specific theme, explored in depth through a comprehensive analytical dossier. Participants will collaborate to build consensus and craft a compelling policy brief. These briefs are designed to shape global policy directions and will be translated into several languages to ensure they reach a broad international audience.

The first retreat was held in Rome from December 9 to 13, 2024, and focused on the impact of AI systems on elections and democracy. This theme is particularly timely in 2024, a significant election year in which more than half of the global population participated in elections. Discussions were centered around the risks, opportunities, and best practices for protecting the integrity of political information and elections in the face of malicious uses of AI.

The first policy statement resulting from this writing and reflection workshop will be published in early 2025.

The first workshop in Rome was conducted in collaboration with the Canada CIFAR AI and Human Rights Chair, the University of Ottawa’s Research Chair in Technology and Society, the Fonds de recherche du Québec, CEIMIA, the Società Italiana per l’Organizzazione Internazionale, and the Québec Delegation in Rome (Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie of Québec).