SPEAKERS
| James Ong Founder and Managing Director, Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII) | Sameer Gahlot National Internet Exchange of India, IT Ministry | Dr. Nele Leosk Ambassador for Digital Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia | Dr Omid Aschari Senior Advisor, PRME Principles for Responsible Management Education, United Nations Global Compact |
| Dr. Song Haitao, Dean and President of Shanghai Artificial Research Institute Dean and President of Shanghai Artificial Research Institute | Prof Yi Zeng Professor at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences |
DESCRIPTION
Though there is no specific SDG on digital matters, digital technologies have a cross-cutting dimension as they serve as an enabler for achieving all SDGs, effectively becoming (as they are sometimes called) the ‘invisible, 18th SDG’. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes a central force shaping economies, societies, and governance worldwide, the current UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are insufficient to capture both the opportunities and systemic risks AI introduces. This session proposes the establishment of a new goal — SDG#18: AI for Humanity — to anchor AI development within a human-centered, inclusive, and sustainable framework.
To this effect, the session will feature a series of short keynote-style presentations followed by an interactive panel discussion among global experts, exploring why SDG#18 is urgently needed, how it could be structured, and what collaborations are essential to make it a reality. Further AI, if harnessed responsibly and in an inclusive manner, could not only contribute to the achievement of all 17 SDGs but also empower and uplift the Global Majority and Developed Minority, which is historically been underserved by technological advancements in Global Majority as well overserved with over reliance and dependency of technologies in the Developed Minority.
