The IGF Summit kicks off with a focus on governance and inclusion in the digital technology sector.

The 19th session of the United Nations’ Internet Governance Forum (IGF), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focused on calls to bridge the digital divide and provide technological access to underserved communities.

Opening on Monday, the summit seeks to bring together diverse stakeholders to discuss a digital future that balances technological advancement with risk management, while promoting inclusion for disadvantaged populations. In his opening speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that unlocking the potential of digital technology requires both guardrails and a collaborative governance approach. He also highlighted the Global Digital Compact, launched at the 2024 General Assembly, which includes a universal agreement on the international governance of Artificial Intelligence, ensuring all member states are part of the global AI governance dialogue.

Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), underscored the significance of digital governance in shaping the future, stating, “It is important to ensure that digital technologies work for the people, not against them.”

Bridging the Digital Divide

Despite global moves towards digital and AI integration, experts warn that bridging the existing digital divide remains a significant challenge. Access to technology is still largely influenced by geographical location, economic status, age, and education levels. According to an EDISON Alliance report, as of 2024, 2.6 billion people worldwide remain without internet access.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Technology, Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha, stated, “It will take us 134 years to close the digital divide. The global gender divide costs humanity $7 trillion.” He pointed out that one-third of the world still lags behind in digital access, with a shortage of skilled workers in areas like cybersecurity, data, and AI. He also emphasized the potential of airborne and space-borne networks, which could offer “connections from the sky” to bridge these gaps, as connecting the world through terrestrial networks could cost nearly half a trillion dollars.

The Internet We Want

Human rights and inclusion in digital technologies were also central to the summit’s discussions. Ivana Bartoletti, Global Chief Privacy and AI Governance Officer at Wipro, argued that technology should respect human rights and work for all people. She stressed that privacy and innovation can coexist, and privacy should be treated as a public good that enhances respect in the digital space.

Bartoletti also highlighted the exclusion present in digital technologies and AI models, advocating for the inclusion of diverse genders and vulnerable groups not only in training data but also in decision-making and system audits. “Who is designing the output? Diversity must be part of the conversation when auditing these systems,” she stated.