National Azerbaijan Intelligence Center of Azerbaijan

The National Artificial Intelligence Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan welcomes the convening of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on 6–7 July 2026 as a pivotal step towards an inclusive multilateral framework for AI under the auspices of the United Nations. In our view, the success of the inaugural session should be measured against the following outcomes. First, the adoption of a clear and actionable roadmap operationalising the four thematic clusters of the Global Digital Compact, with concrete milestones leading to the 2027 session. Second, tangible commitments to bridge AI divides through education, professional training, and structured knowledge-sharing—including joint curricula, fellowship programmes, research exchanges, and equitable access to compute and open-source models for developing and middle-income economies. Third, meaningful progress on the interoperability of governance approaches, while safeguarding national sovereignty, cultural diversity, and linguistic plurality, including support for low-resource languages. Fourth, an outcome document reaffirming international human rights law, transparency, and human oversight as foundations of trustworthy AI. Finally, durable modalities for the systematic engagement of stakeholders, particularly from the Global South.

• AI capacity-building
• Open-source software, open data and open AI models
• Social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical implications of AI
• Protection and promotion of human rights

The National Artificial Intelligence Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan has selected the four areas most closely aligned with national priorities and the needs of developing and middle-income economies. AI capacity-building is foundational. Without investment in education, training, research, and access to high-performance computing, meaningful participation in the global AI value chain is not possible. Social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and technical implications of AI matter because AI systems are predominantly shaped by a narrow set of languages and contexts. Greater attention to underrepresented languages, including Azerbaijani, and to local cultural realities is essential. Protection and promotion of human rights must anchor any governance framework, ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in full conformity with international human rights law. Open-source software, open data and open AI models are indispensable for narrowing the AI divide, enabling smaller economies to innovate, adapt models locally, and avoid technological dependency. Together, these priorities form a coherent agenda: building capacity, reflecting societal diversity, anchoring AI in human rights, and democratising access through openness.

Emphasis on dependency and sovereignty - Challenges. The concentration of compute, foundation models, and expertise in a limited number of jurisdictions exposes smaller economies to technological dependency and constrains national sovereignty over critical digital infrastructure. Underrepresentation of Azerbaijani and regional languages, combined with fragmented human rights standards, narrows the scope for sovereign and rights-based AI deployment. A coordinated framework would enable Azerbaijan to leverage its position as a digital corridor between Europe and Asia, advance Turkic-language AI, and accelerate workforce development through open ecosystems and partnerships—supporting public services, the green transition, smart agriculture, and the reconstruction of liberated territories.

The AI Dialogue can serve as the universal multilateral platform under the United Nations to harmonise governance approaches, bridge the AI divide, ensure equitable participation of all Member States, and translate the Global Digital Compact commitments into concrete cooperation on capacity-building, openness, human rights, and shared standards.

The Dialogue should connect with the ITU AI for Good Summit, UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, the OECD AI Principles, the Global Partnership on AI, and the Council of Europe Framework Convention. Its added value lies in providing universal legitimacy, inclusivity, and coherence across these fragmented initiatives.

• Governments should set strategic direction
• academia and the technical community should provide evidence and standards
• the private sector should share deployment experience
• and civil society should safeguard rights. We recommend a hybrid format combining plenary deliberations, multi-stakeholder working groups, regional consultations, and structured written submissions.

Currently underrepresented voices include small and middle-income economies, low-resource language communities, indigenous peoples, youth, women in technology, and post-conflict and reconstruction contexts. Their inclusion can be ensured through dedicated participation funds, regional preparatory consultations, language accessibility, and reserved speaking slots in formal sessions.

Effective formats include thematic working groups co-chaired by diverse regions, regional preparatory hubs, AI policy sandboxes, real-time multilingual participation, youth and academic fellowships, and structured dialogues between regulators, developers, and affected communities to ensure deliberations are evidence-based, inclusive, and action-oriented.

Relevant examples include UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology, the EU AI Act's risk-based framework, Singapore's Model AI Governance Framework, and Azerbaijan's National AI Strategy 2025-2028, which integrates capacity-building, ethical principles, language preservation, and the application of AI in public services and reconstruction efforts.