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Indic Voice Technologies for an Inclusive Digital India: Toolkit for Developers

Nihar Desai, Sujith P., Harleen Kaur, Dona Mathew, Jyotsna Jayaram, Padmavathi Prasad, Thomas Vallianeth

Bhashini; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All (2026), 70 pp.

"This toolkit sets out a layered, lifecycle-oriented approach to building inclusive and robust speech artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It brings together strategies for diverse and representative data collection, linguistically informed model training, rigorous quality control, and deployment o ... more

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Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence

Leo XIV (Pope)

Vatican City: Holy See (2026)

"Divided into five chapters, Magnifica humanitas has an underlying premise: technology is not “a force antagonistic to humanity” (paragraph 4), nor is it “inherently evil” (9). However, “technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regu ... late, and use it. Therefore, Pope Leo XIV appeals for people to build “for the common good” and to “remain human,” following a courageous mentality of shared responsibility and communion, so that the world “will come to recognize the human heart as the place where God desires to dwell” (16). [...] An ethical code for AI: The third chapter—Technology and Dominance. The Grandeur of Humanity in Light of the Promises of AI stresses the need to approach artificial intelligence with vigilance. Pope Leo warns about the “technocratic paradigm” already denounced by Pope Francis and how it can require that every choice be dictated exclusively by measuring efficiency and profits (92). On the contrary, the most powerful technology is not necessarily the best. AI can imitate and simulate the person, but it does not possess a moral conscience, empathy, or affective, relational or spiritual capabilities. The Pope urges clarity about responsibilities and accountability at every stage of the development process, focusing on adequate AI policies and legal frameworks, independent oversight, and user education. Above all, Pope Leo calls for an ethical code subject to shared standards of social justice, because “a more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few” (107). Nor, he adds, should the environmental impact of new technologies be overlooked, since they require large quantities of energy and water, affecting Creation (101). Disarming AI: AI must be “disarmed,” Pope Leo XIV continues, in order to free it from the mentality of military, economic, and cognitive competition. “To disarm means discrediting the assumption that technical power automatically confers the right to govern,” he says. “To disarm does not mean rejecting technology, but preventing it from dominating humanity” (110). He devotes ample space to a critique of transhumanism and posthumanism, which interpret progress as the overcoming of human limits. Instead, limitations are not defects to be eliminated, but a constitutive dimension of the human person, because it is in fragility and finitude that relationship and openness to God and to others mature. He says we must remember that “humanity flourishes not despite limitations, but often through them” (118). Technological progress without regression of the heart: Pursuing technological innovation at the expense of eliminating human limitations, he says, would cause an anthropological regression. “Humanity—in all its grandeur and woundedness—must never be replaced or surpassed,” he says. Technology can alleviate humanity’s sufferings and open new possibilities, but it must not deny the essence of humanity, which is our “capacity for relationship and love” (126). In the face of AI, says the Pope, “the true alternative is not between enthusiasm and fear, but between two paths of development: a progress that serves individuals and peoples, or a progress that subjects them to the mentality of power” (129). An ecology of communication and the centrality of schools: In the fourth chapter—Safeguarding Humanity at a Time of Transformation. Truth, Work, Freedom—the Pope calls for an “ecology of communication” based on truth. He urges transparency in how content is selected, protection of personal data, serious journalism founded on argumentation and verification, a new awareness in the “proper and critical” use of digital tools, and the integration of different forms of knowledge. The Church must also embody transparent and honest communication, especially in cases of injustice and abuse. The Pope also appeals for a renewed educational alliance, so that the “desire to ask questions” may not be extinguished in young people by perfect machines that make human thought seem useless (140). Pope Leo XIV, therefore, calls for renewed attention to schools as places where people learn to “seek and love the truth” (147). The dignity of work: In the “fourth industrial revolution” represented by the digital transition, the Pope emphasizes the importance of protecting the dignity of work by designing systems centered on the person and not only on performance. “The ‘new ways’ of working are not necessarily better,” he writes, “while AI promises to boost productivity by taking over mundane tasks, it frequently forces workers to adapt to the speed and demands of machines, rather than machines being designed to support those who work” (150). Technology can certainly free human beings from burdensome or repetitive tasks, but it must not lead to unemployment in the name of reducing costs and increasing profit. In this regard, the Pope expresses his hopes for a renewal of labor organizations (155). Peace and development: Pope Leo then notes the need to move beyond GDP as the measure of a country’s level of development, focusing instead on the dignity of work, shared prosperity, the reduction of inequalities, and environmental protection. Finance, he says, must focus on the development, creation, and evolution of work (159-160). Following in the footsteps of Pope St. Paul VI, the encyclical underscores the interdependence between peace and development. It calls for international cooperation capable of defining shared strategies, especially in favor of the most vulnerable countries and groups, because prosperity contributes to peace “only if it is widespread, inclusive, and sustainable” (163). The family, “primary social good”: The Pope upholds the role of the family, saying it is founded on the stable union between a man and a woman. The family is a “primary social good” and the “fundamental and irreplaceable cell of every community organization” (165), which must be supported, including through labor policies that favor stability and humane rhythms, so as to protect society’s ability to “build the future.” ‘Architecture of visibility’ and risks for freedom: Pope Leo XIV then discusses the theme of human freedom in an age when digital platforms are designed to capture users’ time and exploit their vulnerabilities. He reiterates the need to strengthen each person’s interior freedom, while also confronting the risk of social control arising from the mass collection of data and the use of algorithmic systems. Profiling, predicting, and directing behavior, he says, is “a new form of power” (171) that risks discriminating against the weakest. The Pope particularly criticizes the “architecture of visibility,” which amplifies only what is visible and shapes opinions. New forms of slavery and colonialism: AI also generates new forms of slavery, such as that of the “scarred, injured, and worn down” bodies (173) of those who work in the extraction of the “rare earth elements” needed for technology. Therefore, the Pope upholds the importance of combating new forms of slavery as another “decisive test for ethical discernment” in the digital transformation. Pope Leo XIV stresses that “the Church renews her firm condemnation of every form of slavery, trafficking, and commodification of persons” and he underscores that to not react or to tolerate grave violations of human dignity means becoming accomplices to them. At the same time, the Pope “sincerely asks forgiveness” for the delay with which the Church in the past condemned “the scourge of slavery” (174-176). The encyclical also refers to the vital information—for example, on health and demographics—used to guide economic strategies. He calls this a new face of colonialism that turns personal lives into exploitable information, making the digital environment a “space of exploitation” (178-179). Overcoming ‘just war’ theory: In the fifth chapter—The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love—Pope Leo XIV turns his gaze to war, saying “the digital revolution is changing the nature of conflict.” The Pope calls for an ethical approach, without which decisions about the life and death of persons will become increasingly impersonal due to a use of force regarded as an “immediate and viable option” (182-183). At the root of all this is a “culture of power” that normalizes war and rehabilitates it as an “instrument of international politics,” favoring rearmament. Today, he says, public opinion is burdened by polarizing media narratives, as well as by “a disconcerting loss of historical memory,” which leaves people without a long-term vision (191). Consequently, he says, peace today is no longer understood as a task to be undertaken, but as an interval between conflicts. For this reason, Pope Leo XIV reiterates that—while preserving the right to legitimate defense in the strictest sense—the theory of “just war” must be overcome, and dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness must instead be promoted (192). Algorithms do not make war morally acceptable: Pope Leo expresses criticism of the growth in the arms industry, the nuclear arms race, and the emergence of new armed actors—including jihadist groups—who aim to perpetuate conflicts as a source of power and profit. He also warns against the use of weapons linked to AI, because “there is no algorithm that can make war morally acceptable.” The Pope writes, “AI does not remove the intrinsic inhumanity of conflict; indeed, it can only bring about conflict more quickly and render it more impersonal, lowering the threshold for resorting to violence, transforming defense into threat prediction and thus reducing victims to data. In this way, it will accustom us to the idea that violence is inevitable and needs only to be optimized.” The Pope urges strict ethical limits, which are shared at the international level and based on personal responsibility and the protection of civilians. “Any technology that facilitates attacks without seeing the face of human beings lowers the moral threshold of conflict” (199). Crisis of multilateralism: The culture of power also emerges from the crisis of multilateralism and the emergence of “a disorderly and conflict-ridden multipolarism” with a prevailing sense of mistrust (201). The Pope laments that the rule of law has been replaced by the law of the strongest, while the logic of power prevails over peace building and institutions established to safeguard the common destiny of peoples have now been weakened. In this regard, the Pope hopes for “profound reforms” of the UN that can overcome the current crisis of values in favor of the common good (226). An irresponsible Realpolitik: The encyclical notes that today “hybrid” wars are fought “also on the economic, financial and cyber fronts, where disinformation and campaigns that feed people’s fears are used to manipulate public opinion” so that increases in military expenditures are seen as the “only response” to an uncertain future. But all of this is only a “false realism”, an irresponsible Realpolitik that sows in people’s consciences and cultures a resignation to an unavoidable war and describes peace as a utopia (204-205). He notes that there is the possibility that some “may consider armed conflict as an effective way of diverting attention from domestic problems and a cynical tool for managing difficulties (208). The civilization of love: Christians, says Pope Leo, are called to respond to the culture of power by building “the civilization of love” and by choosing whether to feed the logic of force or safeguard peace. He recalls the memory of the saints, “righteous people and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good” (211). The Pope indicates five paths of responsibility, which include disarming words by speaking the truth; building peace in justice; adopting the perspective of victims by taking a stand, because there are conflicts in which “it is unjust to remain neutral”; cultivating “a healthy realism” that seeks practicable paths of peace through deeds, not only words. Importance of interreligious dialogue: Finally, relaunching dialogue by moving from a culture of power to a culture of negotiation is highlighted. And of decisive importance is “interreligious dialogue”, being bearers of a message of peace. He writes that “those who use the name of God to legitimize terrorism, violence or war betray his true nature, for to fight in the name of religion means attacking religion itself” (223). The diplomacy of the Holy See, he notes, “adopts the Gospel’s principle of mercy as a concrete criterion for political action.” And from this, the exhortation to prayer, since peace comes above all from God (227-228)." (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-05/pope-leo-xiv-encyclical-magnifica-humanitas-ai.html) more

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Companion AI: Risiken von sykophantischen und suchtfördernden Designs von KI-Systemen, ihre rechtliche Erfassung und Handlungsempfehlungen
Deep Insights

Ramak Molavi-Vasse’i

Berlin: Zentrum für Digitalrechte und Demokratie (2026), 82 pp.

"Diese Studie untersucht Risiken von KI-Systemen, die im fortlaufenden Dialog mit Nutzern Emotionen erkennen, persönliche Bedürfnisse adressieren und darauf reagieren. Chatbots mit dieser Funktionalität werden als Companion-AI bezeichnet. Sie sind hochgradig personalisiert und treten Nutzern als ... soziales Gegenüber entgegen, das freundschaftliche, romantische oder sexuelle Nähe simuliert. Menschen können zu solchen Systemen eine emotionale Bindung aufbauen. Der Fokus liegt nicht nur auf spezifischen Companion-Anwendungen wie Replika oder Character.AI, sondern auch auf Universalmodellen wie ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok oder Meta-AI. Diese Systeme werden zunehmend für persönliche, emotionale und beratende Gespräche genutzt. Die Untersuchung kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass Companion-AI mehrere eng miteinander verbundene Risikodimensionen erzeugt. Psychische und physische Gesundheit: Companion-AI trifft auf eine Gesellschaft, in der Einsamkeit und psychische Belastungen zunehmen, während professionelle Versorgungsangebote knapp sind. Die möglichen Risiken sind klinisch belegt. Die Nutzung kann psychische Belastungen verursachen oder verstärken und in Einzelfällen gravierende Gesundheitsfolgen auslösen. Dokumentiert sind die Verschlimmerung psychotischer Zustände, die Verstärkung depressiver Muster und Angststörungen, suchtartige Bindungen mit Entzugssymptomen sowie die Erosion sozialer Kompetenzen, etwa eine messbar reduzierte Konfliktfähigkeit nach längerer Interaktion mit Companion-AI. Öffentlich bekannt gewordene Vorfälle sind in der Vorfall-Datenbank der Studie dokumentiert. Eingriff in die Privatsphäre: Companion-AI animieren Nutzer kontinuierlich zur Selbstoffenbarung und greifen damit in sensible Gedanken und die intime Gefühlssphäre der Nutzer ein. Zugleich ermöglicht die fortlaufende Interaktion eine zunehmend verdichtete Profilbildung. Entscheidungsautonomie und demokratische Meinungsbildung: Companion-AI können sowohl die Qualität von Informationen als auch die Entscheidungsautonomie der Bürger beeinträchtigen. Die Mechanismen, die Nähe und Vertrauen erzeugen, beeinflussen zugleich die Generierung, Aufnahme und Gewichtung von Informationen. Sykophanz, also die unkritische Bestätigung von Nutzeransichten, beeinträchtigt Genauigkeit und Verlässlichkeit der Antworten messbar. Sprachmodelle werden zunehmend als primäre Quelle der Informationssuche genutzt. Wenn dieselben Systeme Informationen erzeugen, beschaffen und präsentieren, fallen Selektion und Aufbereitung in einer Hand zusammen. Werbe- und interessengeleitete Einflussnahme greift dann nicht mehr nur in einzelne Kaufentscheidungen ein, sondern in die Voraussetzungen öffentlicher Meinungs- und demokratischer Willensbildung." (Executive summary, Seite 5) more

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Standardization of AI Ethics: Stakeholders, Values and Profit

Nicholas Kluge Corrêa, Julia Maria Mönig (eds.)

Bielefeld: transcript Verlag (2026), 161 pp.

"[...] what a certification could look like is only one of the questions that should be asked when discussing ethical certification of AI. Furthermore, how all potentially concerned parties (stakeholders) can be included, which values might be affected, and what this means for those actors who (righ ... tfully) need and want to profit from AI applications were central questions that the philosophy team of the KI. NRW-flagship project „Zertifizierte KI“ (Certified AI) investigated. Further key questions raised in the contributions and throughout the project period include: Can ethics be standardized? Who audits the auditors? How can auditing institutions be aligned with actual societal concerns? What can an assessment look like for a specific area (e.g., human resources)? How are law and ethics intertwined? Which contribution can philosophy provide, now that there is a European regulation on Artificial Intelligence (e.g., in the discussion whether robots in elderly care should be considered as deceptive technology under the AI Act)? Finally, what role do standardization bodies play in ensuring trustworthy AI? Answers to these questions are presented in this book, as well as in the project’s central outcomes: the 'Catalogue of General Ethical Requirements for AI Certification' and the 'Catalogue of Field-Specific Requirements for AI Certification'. The 'Catalogue of General Ethical Requirements for AI Certification' provides a structured framework for trustworthy AI development, identifying overarching ethical requirements for AI certification and outlining six ethical values: fairness, privacy, robustness, sustainability, transparency, and truthfulness. For each value, the project team researched existing tools, metrics, and approaches to help developers, programmers, and other practitioners build trustworthy AI systems. The 'Catalogue of Field-Specific Requirements for AI Certification' offers a list of requirements, an ethical stakeholder analysis, and a discussion of potential value tensions for six exemplary fields: arts, biometric profiling, industry and critical infrastructure, law enforcement, medicine and care and social media, a list of requirements, an ethical stakeholder analyses and a discussion of potential value tensions. The volume at hand collects the contributions to the final conference of the sub-project philosophy of the KI.NRW-Flagship-Projekt “Zertifizierte KI”. (Introduction, pages 11-12) more

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Advancing Open Source AI in India: Recommendations for Governments & Technology Developers

Aarushi Gupta, Anushka Jain, Urvashi Aneja, Shreeja Sen

Bonn; Delhi; Noida (IN): Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All; NASSCOM (2026), 80 pp.

"[...] this brief positions open source AI as a strategic policy option within India’s evolving AI ecosystem. It unpacks the critical importance of openness for India’s digital future, crystallising the key opportunities it offers to governments and developers alike. In doing so, it also explore ... more

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Relational Futures: Indigenous Sovereignty and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Bronwyn Carlson, Tamika Worrell

Macquarie University (2026), 30 pp.

"Artificial intelligence must be governed as a relational and institutional force, not simply a technical system. Effective policy requires Indigenous leadership, enforceable standards, and a commitment to sovereignty, accountability, and community wellbeing. Failure to act risks embedding inequalit ... more

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Handbook on Data Protection and Privacy for Developers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India

Ajey Karthik, Aman Taneja, Sreenidhi Srinivasan, Vidushi Sinha

New Delhi: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All (2026), 117 pp.

"This Handbook is designed as a practical guide for developers of AI systems, especially from early-stage startups, to navigate data protection obligations and ethical considerations, in a clear and actionable manner. Rather than serving as a comprehensive legal or technical manual, the Handbook co ... more

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European AI Competitiveness Beyond Frontier Models: Insights From AI Startups in Five Strategic Markets

Nicole Lemke

Berlin: Interface – Tech Analysis and Policy Ideas for Europe (2026), 37 pp.

"AI development is frequently described as a race for frontier models. But considerable economic value will also be generated by AI development and adoption in existing markets. This data brief examines where EU competitiveness stands in the five applied markets where most of the EU’s AI startup a ... ctivity in our dataset takes place – horizontal enterprise software, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing and supply chain, finance and insurance, and research and development tools. Drawing on data from Dealroom.co covering 24,468 active AI startups launched between 2012 and 2025 across the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and the U.S., we compare geographic patterns at the level of regions, countries, and cities through original analysis [...] Manufacturing and supply chain is the only market where the EU accounts for a larger share of AI startups than the U.S., though our data likely underestimates the number of U.S. startups in general. This suggests the competitiveness gap across applied AI markets may be even larger than our data indicates [...] AI startup activity in the EU is geographically dispersed: 75 percent of analysed EU AI startups are spread across 95 cities, with no single hub dominating any market. Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Munich, and Stockholm are the largest hubs but together account for only a quarter of EU AI startups. EU city rankings across markets largely reflect general AI startup hub sizes rather than genuine market specialisation – but specialised niches do begin to emerge at the local level, e.g. Munich in manufacturing and supply chain and Barcelona in healthcare and life sciences. As our data skews towards larger startup hubs, specialisation patterns in smaller cities and regions may not be fully captured. Our findings have important implications for policymakers. Europe's challenges in AI competitiveness extend well beyond frontier models. The manufacturing and supply chain market, a strategic priority for the European Commission, presents grounds for cautious optimism, where existing industrial strengths align with national and regional specialisation signals based on AI startup activity, especially in Germany and Munich. The geographically distributed startup activity in the EU can support AI adoption across diverse regional economies and existing industrial strengths. At the same time, it raises questions about whether European hubs can achieve the scale and specialisation needed to compete globally. The technological diversity of AI also presents competitive opportunities that go beyond market specialisation alone. Whether the emerging specialisation patterns identified in this analysis develop into globally competitive positions will depend on continued access to growth capital, compute resources, and cross-border market integration." (Executive summary, pages 3-4) more

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Why Silicon Valley is turning to the Catholic Church: Priests and theologians want to shape the future of AI. Big Tech is listening

Elias Wachtel

The Atlantic, April 25 (2026)

"Silicon Valley and the Vatican may “seem like strange bedfellows”—but they each have something to gain from the other, @EliasWachtel argues. He examines why Big Tech is listening to priests and theologians who want to shape the future of AI." (Publisher description)

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Principled caution: How AI is used in public-interest media in Asia

James Gomez

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2026), 52 pp.

"In conclusion, this research has provided a systematic understanding of AI adoption within public-interest media across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. By identifying concrete areas for strategic intervention, this research seeks to strengthen ... journalistic quality and prepare the sector for an AI-integrated future. The findings reveal that the AI adoption is currently taking place within public-interest media, but it is one of “principled caution” where adoption is careful, selective and highly varied. This evolution unfolds within a structurally precarious media environment where AI regulation is often absent or actively restrictive. While adoption remains cautious to protect journalistic credibility from risks such as hallucinations and biases, newsrooms are increasingly embracing AI as a powerful toolset to alleviate severe capacity and resource constraints. Currently, organizations primarily utilize AI for assistive, routine tasks such as translation, transcription, summarization, and early-stage content ideation and the final language editing stage rather than for broader organizational transformation. The research highlights deep capacity deficits in the governance framework, institutional training, and leadership. These gaps often prevent individual AI literacy from translating into consistent, organization-wide policy formulation and enforcement. This challenge is further exacerbated by the funding instability and resource constraints that characterize the region’s independent media, restricting the long-term investment necessary for ethical and responsible AI adoption. Despite these legal, political, technical, capacity, and operational constraints, localized and innovative AI workflows are emerging. While AI has not yet generated entirely new, revenue-generating business models, strategic investments in customized AI infrastructures, such as in-house dashboards and media monitoring systems, present a critical pathway toward long-term operational resilience. To support this trajectory, the report recommends coordinated action among media organizations, governments, technology companies, donors and media development funders to invest in long-term AI capacity, governance frameworks, and secure technological infrastructure." (Conclusion, page 39) more

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Critiquing Generative AI in Africa's Media Ecosystems

Lungile A. Tshuma, Trust Matsilele

London; New York: Routledge (2026), 215 pp.

"The book argues that as technology is a social construct reflecting existing power dynamics, those in the Global South, and in Africa in particular, are bound to be marginalised and have their knowledge, systems overlooked as the Global North dominates technological developments. The birth of AI ha ... more

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„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation
Key Guides

Daniel Brumund, Prashant Pratap Singh, Lisa Werkmeister

Bonn; Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (2026), 48 pp.

"The guide provides lessons-learnt for building AI chatbots and explores: motivations and requirements for developing a chatbot; functional types of AI chatbots suitable for different projects; content and knowledge base behind chatbots; technological architectures for AI chatbots; steering and man ... more

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Invisible Workers, Visible Harms: Perils and Precarities of AI Labour

Aapti Institute

Bonn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (2026), 40 pp.

"Across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, data workers operate within fragmented and opaque supply chains characterised by informal employment arrangements, limited social protections, and a profound imbalance of power between workers, vendors, and the global technology firms that ... more

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#DesIgual: Jóvenes, radios y plataformas entre la digitalización y la IA

Judith Gerbaldo, Hugo N. Mamani, Daniela Vuirli, María Sofía Ahumada, Jesica Colazo, Candela Reales, María José Farías, Luisa Loza

Córdoba: Cecopal ; Radio Sur 90.1 FM (2026), 173 pp.

"El libro propone una mirada crítica sobre la libertad de expresión y el derecho a la comunicación, analizando las tensiones, desigualdades y disputas que atraviesan el mapa mediático contemporáneo, partiendo desde la ciudad de Córdoba, Argentina. Asimismo, pone el foco en la situación de las ... more

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Societies at an AI Crossroads: Choices and Value Conflicts

Ignas Kalpokas, Julija Kalpokienė

London; New York: Routledge (2026), 116 pp.

"As contemporary societies undergo profound transformations driven by artificial intelligence and related technologies, a unilinear vision of inevitable ‘progress’ and development increasingly dominates public discourse. This book offers a counterpoint, challenging such deterministic narratives ... more

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Promoting and advancing human rights in global AI ecosystems: The need for a comprehensive framework under international law

Alexander Kriebitz, Caitlin C. Corrigan (eds.)

Globethics Foundation; Responsible AI Network – Africa (RAIN-Africa) (2026), 33 pp.

"In response to far-reaching societal impacts of AI, policymakers are increasingly adopting a human rights lens for AI governance. However, the regulatory landscape remains fragmented and characterized by Western led initiatives as well as inconsistent enforcement. To address these limitations, a un ... ified and binding international framework is urgently needed. The proposed Convention on AI, Data, and Human Rights (drafted as the “Munich Convention on AI, Data, and Human Rights”) is an initiative toward such a framework. Developed with contributions from over 50 global experts, it proposes an international convention to align AI governance with human rights principles. This whitepaper explores the underlying rationale behind the convention, emphasizing its alignment with the norms and principles articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter. It examines the relevance of safeguards against AI’s misuse in facilitating human rights violations, with particular focus on protecting underrepresented or marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples, and addressing collective rights. It furthermore points to the necessity to codify rights that empower individuals to opt out, be forgotten, seek explanations, and access remedies to maintain adequate human rights standards in the context of AI. The urgency to act arises from the escalating impact of AI and the rapid pace of political and technological advancements. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is particularly well poised to play a leading role in initiating global discussions on a binding convention for AI governance, grounded in human rights principles. Drawing on its established mandate to uphold human rights globally, the UNHRC has a record of successfully embedding human rights principles into international frameworks, as demonstrated by its endorsement of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Through dedicated action around promoting a convention on AI and human rights, the UNHRC can foster international consensus and proactively shape the future of AI in a manner that prioritizes the values and principles enshrined in the key documents of international human rights law." (Executive summary) more

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Digital Media Shadowing Democracy: Technology, Communication, and Power

Auksė Balčytienė, Péter Bajomi-Lázár, Helena Sousa (eds.)

Gothenburg: Nordicom, University of Gothenburg (2026), 282 pp.

"The book’s message is brief: Liberal democracies are at risk. Democratic decay has numerous causes, but technological innovations and profit-driven dynamics are shaping societal relations in ways that intensify disagreements and polarisation, undermining informed citizenship. The growing number o ... more

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Reinventing Humanitarian Aid Procurement for the Age of AI

Giulio Coppi

Access Now (2026), 59 pp.

"Our research reveals that the organisational use of AI and algorithmic systems often happens through a process of unstructured integration rather than formal adoption. More precisely, cloud-based, algorithmic-enhanced functionalities and processes are making their way into humanitarian entitiesʼ t ... ech stack through updates and add-ons to preexisting products, slowly but inexorably seeping into most internal systems. A price-based procurement process designed around the static idea of digital asset purchase is inadequate to ensure adequate protection from hyperdynamic tech product development. This is especially evident looking at the growing power imbalances between private actors and nonprofits, and among nonprofits themselves. Digital technology is often heralded as key to democratise and equalise the playing field between humanitarian actors, by finally unlocking local actorsʼ access to resources traditionally reserved for international entities. But emerging trends seem to disprove such claims. The lack of adequate legal frameworks and safeguards, lagging investments in humanitarian funding for information and communication technology (ICT) resources and connectivity, and inadequate dedicated funding for digital programmes are thwarting these opportunities. More broadly, virtuous and responsible procurement practices are proving inadequate for protecting human rights alone, as tech companiesʼ commitments to human rights are replaced by defence-oriented pitches and the size of their human rights teams keeps shrinking. Preexisting digital divides are enhanced by several deep and subtle changes in traditional tech business models, resulting from the gradual cloudification of most common digital systems and the fast-paced, distributed nature of modern digital development. Even more worryingly, we are seeing new forms of digital divide well beyond the traditional gaps in digital capacity between local and small non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) or UN entities. Cloud-based companiesʼ takeover of generic coordination platforms creates a constantly broadening chasm between the few organisations that are digitally mature, those who are barely retrofitting their processes to fit the new reality, and the broad majority forced to access the promised land of digital humanitarianism through the predatory gates of algorithmic and cloud servicesʼ free tech licensing. Our findings highlight how organisation-led digital development, building on open-source systems (despite some “openwashing” practices) and trusted external providers, remains the best option for risk reduction when it comes to algorithmic systems. However, in the short to medium term, this might not be financially and technically feasible for the majority of humanitarian actors, especially considering the catastrophic funding environment. To fill this gap, we propose a toolkit in an appendix to this report. This is a foundational governance model for transforming digital procurement from a transactional into a strategic business function, integrated across key organisational departments. By doing so, protection-mandated aid groups could move from running purchase-centred processes, to adopting a dynamic, proactive, and rights-based approach to tech management. This report also contains a set of recommendations for states and donors, the humanitarian community, tech companies, local aid actors and communities, research centres, and cyber experts." (Executive summary, pages 2-3) more

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Artificial Intelligence for Older Adults: Concepts, Needs and Practices of Use

Diana Dutsyk

Kyiv: Ukrainian Media and Communication Institute (2026), 18 pp.

"To better understand the attitudes of older adults toward artificial intelligence, as well as to identify their needs in using it, we conducted focus group discussions, the results of which are presented in this analytical report. Overall, these discussions showed that there is often a stereotypica ... more

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Taking a Look at the most common AI myths & debunking them the Superrr way!

Berlin: SUPERRR (2026), 22 pp.

"How do we want to use technology, and when do we hit the brakes? As part of our work in 2026, we held 14 public-facing “AI mythbusting” sessions at libraries across Berlin, Germany. We were astonished by the strong public response and clear need for judgement-free spaces to talk about AI. Colle ... more

Companion AI: Risiken von sykophantischen und suchtfördernden Designs von KI-Systemen, ihre rechtliche Erfassung und Handlungsempfehlungen Deep Insights

„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation Key Guides

Companion AI: Risiken von sykophantischen und suchtfördernden Designs von KI-Systemen, ihre rechtliche Erfassung und Handlungsempfehlungen
Deep Insights

„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation
Key Guides