Artificial Intelligence has made great strides in recent years with far reaching implications effecting all aspects of human lives and governance structures. AI has revolutionized the hitherto prevalent usual structures of power. In domains like autonomous vehicles, weapons systems, robotics and even education, increasing use of AI has brought forth new challenges. Though, there has been various attempts at international level for the proper management of challenges posed by the use of AI in critical areas, yet, the differing impact which smaller nations particularly from the Global South faces in the field of management of AI, have been only quite scantily discussed. While there is no doubt regarding the opportunities provided by AI in the effective utilization of resources for all, including the smaller nations, however, the smaller states are more vulnerable to the challenges too. The big powers with the concentration of different MNC’s within them which holds copyright for AI technologies and their specific use, leaves very little at the hands of the smaller states. As has been evidenced by the loss of many an international trade related litigations by smaller states like Maldives, there is a need for effective AI governance mechanism which keeps the concerns of the smaller nations too.
This panel is an attempt in this direction. It solicits papers underlining the challenges posed by AI specifically for smaller nations from the global South, discussing the existing legal mechanism, possible future frameworks with safeguards for smaller states etc. The insights from the TWAIL scholarship will be specially discussed in this panel.