Multilateral AI
We connect diplomats, international civil servants, and AI experts to advance AI governance collaboration
Diplomatic AI
Focus
- UN and regional AI policy coordination and interoperability
- Small and medium power ‘higher ambition’ coalitions for AI governance
- AI governance training for foreign ministries
- International scientific cooperation on AI
- International AI standard setting
Institutions
- Standard-setting bodies: ITU, ISO, IEEE, IEC
- United Nations system: UNGA, GDC, OSET, ITU, UNESCO, Inter-Agency WG on AI, UNDP and DESA
- Regional Organisations: Arab League, ASEAN, AU, CIS, EU, GCC, OAS, Pacific Forum
- Minilateral and cross-regional Forums: APEC, BRICS+, Council of Europe, BRI, DCO, Digital FOSS, G7, G20, OECD and SCO
- Multi-stakeholder and scientific bodies: IGF, ISC
Geopolitical AI
Focus
- China-West competition and cooperation in AI
- Emerging AI ‘bridge’ powers in AI governance (such as Brazil, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland and the UAE)
- AI in International Peace and Security including conflict prevention and resolution
- AI Safety Institutes – strategies for wider global take-up and interoperability
- Geopolitics and geoeconomics of semiconductor, algorithmic, and data supply chains
Institutions
- Safety Summits
- UN Security Council
- GGE, OEWG, ODA, UNOV
- REAIM, G7
Sustainable AI
Focus
- Climate and energy dimensions of AI
- AI and the UN SDGs
- AI and life sciences research
- International AI capacity building
- Public AI, and compute and data access
Institutions:
- International standard-setting forums
- UNEP, UNDP, UNDESA, IPCC, IPBES, ISC
- WRI GHG Protocol and other industry approaches
Intercultural AI
Focus
- Intercultural interoperability and cultural diversity
- Gender and AI
- Indigenous peoples and “Earth-friendly” AI
- Cultural dimensions of Sovereign AI
- AI and social anthropology
Institutions
- IPBES
- UNESCO
- UN Women
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Sam Daws is the founding director of Multilateral AI and a recognised international expert in multilateral strategy and the governance of Artificial Intelligence.
He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative at Oxford University, and has worked for 35 years in multilateral diplomacy. He served as First Officer to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York, and advised the British Prime Minister on the SDGs as Deputy Director (UN) in the Cabinet Office. He previously served as Senior Principal Research Analyst (Multilateral) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Executive Director of UNA-UK, and UK Representative to the UN Foundation.
Oxford University bio: https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/people/sam-daws
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdaws/
Contacting us
We warmly welcome contact from government and UN officials, and AI experts, working on Multilateral AI’s focus areas. Please share details of your current work or policy-focussed AI governance events for potential collaboration or wider sharing across our network.
We are also looking for foundation funders potentially interested in supporting our mission.
Email: [email protected]
Sam Daws is available to moderate or speak at AI governance summits and conferences on Multilateral AI themes. He can be reached directly on:
Multilateral AI [email protected]
Oxford University [email protected]