The Global Digital Compact (GDC), as outlined in the draft of July 11, 2024, represents a unified international effort to shape the future of the digital landscape and AI, with the ultimate goal of building an inclusive, open, fair, safe, and secure digital space for all. This initiative is grounded in the principles of the United Nations, emphasising human rights, sustainable development, and equitable access to digital technologies and AI. This article summarises the most important aspects of the compact, and what we at EthicAI can do to help organisations navigate it.
The UN phrases the compact in the context of how digital technologies are revolutionising how the world functions, and e.g. the potential to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, these technologies also present risks—some known, others not fully understood—that necessitate a concerted, global response. The GDC’s vision is rooted in inclusive international cooperation that bridges the global digital divide, supports responsible technology use, and ensures that advancements in digital technologies benefit all of humanity.
Key objectives
The GDC outlines five primary objectives to achieve a sustainable digital future:
- Closing digital divides: This goal is to ensure universal access to digital technologies and high-speed internet by addressing existing disparities within and between countries, especially in underdeveloped regions. The Compact recognises that universal and affordable digital connectivity is foundational to using digital technologies for sustainable development.
- Expanding digital economy inclusion: The Compact aims to broaden participation in the digital economy by creating environments that enable innovation and digital entrepreneurship. It seeks to create fair opportunities, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises, and ensure that benefits of digital technologies are equitably distributed.
- Promoting a safe and secure digital space: Ensuring respect for human rights, privacy, and security in the digital realm is critical. The Compact focuses on creating frameworks for safe internet use, free from violence, hate speech, and harmful content, while promoting digital trust and safeguarding information integrity.
- Advancing data governance: The Global Digital Compact recognises the need for equitable, responsible, and interoperable approaches to data governance. It stresses the importance of privacy, security, and the ethical use of data, particularly in the context of AI and emerging technologies.
- Enhancing AI governance: With AI playing an increasingly significant role in modern society, the GDC emphasises the necessity of robust international governance structures for AI that prioritise inclusivity, equity, transparency, and human oversight.
Guiding principles
Several guiding principles underpin the GDC:
Inclusivity and participation: Collaboration between governments, private sector entities, civil society, and other stakeholders is essential to ensure that digital divides are bridged and that no one is left behind in the digital age.
Human rights and international law: The GDC is grounded in international human rights law, ensuring that civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights are respected both online and offline. The Compact also emphasises gender equality and environmental sustainability as essential components of digital governance.
Sustainability and innovation: Digital technologies hold immense potential to drive sustainable development, but they must be designed and used in ways that minimise environmental harm and support long-term solutions for global challenges.
Commitments and actions
The The Global Digital Compact lays out specific actions that nations and stakeholders must take to achieve its objectives by 2030. These include:
Connectivity: Governments and stakeholders are encouraged to develop and strengthen digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas. This includes initiatives to connect schools, hospitals, and communities to the internet, as well as efforts to promote environmental sustainability in digital technology infrastructure.
Digital literacy and skills: To fully use the benefits of digital technologies, the Compact stresses the importance of promoting digital literacy, skills training, and lifelong learning. This includes efforts to tailor digital education to the needs of marginalised groups, such as women and persons with disabilities.
Digital public goods and infrastructure: The GDC advocates for the development of digital public goods—such as open data and open-source software—and resilient digital public infrastructure to support digital innovation and inclusivity.
Safe and secure online spaces: In addition to addressing violence, disinformation, and harmful content online, the Compact calls for the establishment of robust frameworks for online safety, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups. It also emphasises the need for transparency and accountability from technology companies.
Data governance: The GDC recognises the growing role of data in shaping global economies and societies. It stresses the need for secure, interoperable, and inclusive data governance frameworks that protect privacy and still benefits innovation while ensuring equitable access to data resources.
AI governance: The Compact also focuses on the importance of international cooperation in developing responsible AI governance frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, and human oversight. It calls for the creation of an International Scientific Panel on AI and a Global Dialogue on AI Governance to guide future developments in this field.
The GDC envisions a multi-stakeholder approach to its implementation, involving governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organisations. It emphasises the importance of financing digital transformation efforts, particularly in developing countries, and calls for greater investment from both public and private sectors. Monitoring progress will be essential to ensuring the Compact’s success. The GDC proposes regular reviews and high-level meetings to assess its implementation, with an emphasis on tracking progress against the 2030 SDGs. The UN will play a central role in coordinating efforts and facilitating dialogue between stakeholders.
At EthicAI, we are uniquely positioned to help organisations navigate the complexities of the Global Digital Compact and apply its principles to their operations. With our deep expertise in ethical AI, compliance, and sustainable digital practices, we guide organisations in aligning their strategies with the Compact’s objectives—whether it’s fostering inclusion in the digital economy, enhancing AI governance, or ensuring responsible data use. Our advisory services offer tailored solutions that integrate the Compact’s frameworks, empowering organisations to not only meet global standards but also contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable digital future.