This session explores opportunities for companies and policymakers to meaningfully engage external stakeholders in tech policy and development, a cornerstone of norm creation. Yet this is challenging in practice, from limited decision-making power of civil society to short product development timelines. Using AI governance as a case study, speakers will share their practical experiences related to stakeholder engagement when developing, deploying, and regulating AI. Drawing on a novel method for participation in AI governance developed by the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, with input from 130+ experts, speakers will
contextualise multistakeholder engagement within the European tech policy ecosystem. From data protection standards to the EU AI Act and a future Council of Europe Convention on AI, the session aims to ensure a regulatory environment for a truly inclusive digital society, especially for marginalised and vulnerable groups.
• How to ensure meaningful, and not performative, participation of civil society organisations and people when developing and using AI systems?
• How can the EU AI Act or other policy instruments contribute to more inclusive development of technology?
• What is the value of consulting people and communities affected by AI?
• What are the obstacles, for civil society organisations and people on the one hand and AI developers on the other?