The inaugural edition of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance will take place on 6–7 July 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Established by the UN General Assembly following a commitment taken by member states in 2024 in the Global Digital Compact, the Dialogue is described as ‘the UN platform where all governments and stakeholders will convene to discuss international cooperation, share best practices and lessons learned, and facilitate open, transparent and inclusive discussions on AI governance’. The dialogue is structured around four main thematic clusters: AI opportunities and implications: social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical dimensions; bridging AI divides: capacity-building, access and digital foundations; safe, secure and trustworthy AI: interoperability and compatibility of approaches; and respecting, protecting and promoting human rights: transparency, accountability and human oversight. The International Scientific Panel on AI (another outcome of the Global Digital Compact) will also present its first report during the Dialogue. For more information, please visit the official event web page.
Diplo and GIP will participate in the Dialogue in various ways, contributing to the discussions and providing just-in-time reporting via the Digital Watch observatory.
Just-in-time reporting
The GIP Digital Watch observatory will provide just-in-time reporting from the Dialogue.
Bookmark the Digital Watch space or download the Dig.Watch News+ app to stay up-to-date with our session reports.
Involvement in discussions
[Side-event] Innovative approaches to future workforce development
Monday, 6 July, 13:30 – 14:15, Room E | Co-organisers: Diplo, Coursera
The session presented two innovative approaches to future workforce development regarding AI skills.
Diplo presented its methodology and pedagogy of AI apprenticeship – a hands-on approach to learning about generative AI, specifically designed for professionals in digital governance and diplomacy. Diplo demystifies AI by working with their apprentices in small groups on developing their own AI agents, in their institutional context, and practically exploring issues such as ownership of their institution’s knowledge.
Coursera briefed on scaling training on digital skills for the future. Their plan is to upskill and reskill 3.7 billion existing workers in the world, with a focus on skills delivery. Coursera has a vision of going from content to skills in an AI-powered learning ecosystem. This will be achieved by a combination of world-class content, which motivates employees to develop key skills and the use of an AI-powered platform, which offers effective and personalised training.
[Thematic discussion] Bridging AI divides: capacity-building, access and digital foundations
Monday, 6 July, 15:00-18:00, Breakout Room C
Dr Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform, co-chaired the thematic discussion on bridging AI divides, along with H.E. Samba Diouf, Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Digital of Senegal.
The session served as a structured multistakeholder exchange to share perspectives, experiences, and practical insights on bridging AI divides. More details are available in the official programme of the Dialogue.
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