Shaping the Future of AI Policy: A Q&A with Shamira Ahmed

This is Part 1 of a series of speaker Q&As from PAI’s AI & Policy Forum.

In September 2024, Partnership on AI (PAI) held its AI Policy Forum in New York City, bringing together global thought leaders, industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss the evolving landscape of global AI governance. From ethical AI practices to global interoperability, these conversations reflected our efforts to shape inclusive policies worldwide. This new series of Q&As highlights some of the leaders who spoke at the Forum, offering deeper insights into their work in AI and governance. 

Today we are sharing our interview with Shamira Ahmed, who gave a Lightning Talk at the AI Policy Forum.

 As the founder and executive director of Data Economy Policy Hub (DepHUB), the first independent think tank founded by an Indigenous African woman in South Africa, Shamira Ahmed is at the forefront of advocating for an inclusive and human-centered approach to AI policy. She is a founding partner of the South African AI Association (SAAIA) and is part of several global multistakeholder expert initiatives focusing on ensuring that AI technologies do not exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly for marginalized communities globally. 

Her contributions as  environment co-lead of the UN Internet Governance Forum’s (IGF) Policy Network on AI (PNAI) and role as the global chair of the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Civil Society & Academia Advisory Group (CSAAG) stands as a testament to her commitment to advancing inclusive transnational policy discourse. Shamira has led numerous multinational policy-oriented research projects and contributed significantly to publications such as the African Union Commission’s “Data Policy Framework” and the Global Partnership on AI’s Report “Towards Real Diversity and Gender Equality in Artificial Intelligence.“

In her talk at the AI Policy Forum, Shamira emphasized the need for international bodies like the UN to prioritize diversity, equity, and ethical considerations in AI development and deployment, and highlighted the need to develop in places like Africa and the Global Majority. In this Q&A, we discuss the importance of multistakeholder collaboration, the barriers to AI adoption in the Global South, and how the Global Digital Compact can address historical inequities to create a more inclusive future in AI.

Shamira Ahmed’s Talk at PAI’s AI & Policy Forum

Thalia Khan: What is the biggest misconception the general public has about AI, and how can we better educate them?

Shamira Ahmed: A major misconception is that AI is neutral and objective, unaffected by human bias or multidimensional historical and structural inequalities entrenched in our society.  The public needs to understand that the inherent global nature of the AI value chain is shaped by the same uneven power dynamics  and exploitation that shapes many global systems, have perpetuated multidimensional structural inequality, and will shape standardisation, safety and security, and the AI divide.

Many existing global structures still perpetuate remnants of institutionalized inequality , wealth concentration, and the extraction of human and natural resources which impact a country’s ability to adapt, adopt, and use frontier technologies like AI, which leverage digitalisation and connectivity, to support sustainable development.

Essentially, AI can reinforce existing disparities within and between countries, by amplifying biases related to race, gender, or socioeconomic status, and other forms of marginalisation, with devastating intergenerational effects.

TK:Why do you think multistakeholder collaboration is important in shaping AI policy, and how can we ensure all voices are heard?

SA: Multistakeholder collaboration is crucial to shaping AI policy because AI affects a wide range of sectors and communities which have different needs, can face different challenges, and hold conflicting perspectives. We also need a transdisciplinary approach to advance effective multistakeholder collaboration, cooperation, and coordination to design and operationalize holistic AI policy.

AI impacts multiple facets of society, including economics, ethics, law, science technology and innovation, sociology, and even the environment. Complex, interconnected issues cannot be fully addressed from any single disciplinary perspective, combining diverse perspectives can create more equitable, inclusive, agile, and anticipatory AI policies that reflect the complexities of our interdependent global society. A transdisciplinary approach ensures that we are not just advancing AI for a few countries that have the enablers and endowments to reap scaled benefits from AI related disruptions, but ensures AI governance supports responsible innovation and creates inclusive  intergenerational benefits for all people and the planet.

TK: What do you see as the most pressing issues in AI today and how does your work address these issues?

SA: One of the most urgent issues in AI is the growing divide between the Global North and the Majority World. Inequality of all forms is always shifting because of a multitude of factors, not just technological disruptions, systemic disparities in access to resources, opportunities, and the power dynamics that are embedded within “analogue” transnational social, economic, and political structures, are perpetuated in the digital economy.

At the DepHUB, we conduct rigorous research to inform evidence-based policy and advocacy to ensure that policies for data-based systems such as AI don’t perpetuate historical power imbalances rooted in inequitable global governance models. Instead, we advocate for a critical analysis of existing systemic issues to ensure AI must be guided by principles of equity, power and wealth distribution, intergenerational justice, and local ownership.

TK: What do you see as the most significant barriers to adoption of AI in Africa and the Global Majority? How can international agreements address these challenges?

SA: The most significant barriers to AI adoption in Africa and the Global Majority are due to international institutions and value chains that are rooted in the historical and ongoing extraction of human and natural resources by more powerful nations.  

International agreements need to be supported by political will and  other interventions such as reforming the international forums where these agreements are made to ensure equitable multistakeholder representation—  an essential aspect to overcome the systemic exclusion that has shaped much of global governance. Designing international agreements from an even playing field with common values can create time bound practical interventions that ensure that countries in the Majority world have an equal voice in shaping global AI governance, addressing the historical power imbalances that have long marginalized them. There should be a focus on building foundational digital public infrastructure, access to digital public goods, supporting talent development, and fostering local innovation to create sustainable home-grown solutions.

Finally, reforming international development assistance (IDA) is crucial. We urgently need to move away from outdated, donor-driven models that foster dependency, perpetuate tied aid, and create oligopolies. IDA should prioritize long-term investments in infrastructure, education, and governance, rather than perpetuating dependency through short-term, programme-driven initiatives. Co-creating strategies with local stakeholders can build sustainable, equitable innovation ecosystems, which requires local engagement,  decolonial sociotechnical foresight, and creating policies that balance investor confidence with ethical AI governance, sensitive to Africa’s unique socioeconomic and cultural context.

TK: How can the international policy community and efforts like the Global Digital Compact be effective in making sure benefits of AI reach communities in South Africa and the Global Majority?

SA: The international policy community and the GDC must begin by reflecting on the historical context of institutionalized inequality and resource extraction that has shaped global governance. For decades, global systems have been structured in ways that favor the interests of powerful nations, often at the expense of countries in the Global Majority. If the scaled  benefits of AI are to reach communities in South Africa (one of the most unequal countries in the world) and beyond, entrenched inequalities must be considered in order to make informed approaches that reflect that we live in a time where many technological advancements that were once seen as impossible or never even imagined have been achieved. 

A much needed shift in approach can help create the conditions for AI to benefit not just the wealthiest countries, but all communities, particularly those in the Global Majority, which have historically been marginalized in global governance. This is a time of opportunity but also responsibility. We are the ancestors of tomorrow, tasked with shaping the present in ways that ensure an inclusive future and flourishing of people and the planet. Let’s learn from our past global governance failures to lay the foundations for future generations, driven by a vision of equity, sustainability, and inclusivity.