Multistakeholder Approaches to Participation in AI Governance project publishes open letter on human rights and AI

The Multistakeholder Approaches to Participation in AI Governance project has published an open letter calling on governments, companies, and the United Nations to place human rights at the centre of AI governance and international cooperation.

Endorsed by 80 civil society organisations, academics, technologists, and other experts, the open letter argues that AI governance should build on existing institutions and lessons from documented harms. These include discriminatory outputs, exploitation of data workers, environmental impacts linked to AI infrastructure, expanded surveillance, and military uses of AI that contravene international humanitarian law.

The letter recommends that governments use international human rights law as a basis for AI rules and cooperation. It also calls for transparent and accountable enforcement, with due process and oversight.

The project stresses the need for inclusive policymaking. It argues that AI regulation should be developed through open and democratic processes, with civil society, researchers, and other non-company stakeholders involved to provide independent expertise and help prevent regulatory capture.

Rather than relying on a single global regulator or a comprehensive AI treaty, the open letter proposes a coordinated set of initiatives. It calls on the UN to use its International Independent Scientific Panel and Global Dialogue on AI Governance to develop consensus on baseline issues grounded in human rights law.

The letter also points to the state-led AI Summits as a forum for mobilising resources and strengthening accountability for commitments.

The Multistakeholder Approaches to Participation in AI Governance project is a joint initiative of the Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University Delhi and the Global Network Initiative. It aims to promote a bottom-up, pragmatic, and rights-based approach to AI governance.