DB Connect

A successful first Global Dialogue on AI Governance would deliver three concrete outcomes that reflect the priorities of those working at the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship, and cybercrime, including as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DB Connect; Member and Legal Advisor, United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes (United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime); Judge, Black Ambition; and Mentor, Black Girls in Cyber. First, the Dialogue would adopt a clear, time-bound workplan that explicitly links AI governance to the prevention and investigation of AI-enabled cybercrime, disinformation, and platform-facilitated abuse, while complementing the emerging global cybercrime legal framework negotiated under United Nations auspices. This workplan should prioritize safe and trustworthy AI, accountability for high-risk systems, and robust safeguards for digital evidence, due process, and human rights, so that law-enforcement authorities and regulators can investigate AI-enabled crime effectively and lawfully. Second, the Dialogue would articulate shared, non-binding principles for risk-based oversight, transparency, and minimum baseline standards for critical AI systems, including logging, auditability, and meaningful human oversight. Such principles would promote interoperability among national and regional regimes rather than fragmentation, which is essential for cross-border cybercrime investigations and for protecting vulnerable users, including communities served by programmes such as Black Girls in Cyber and founders supported by Black Ambition. Third, the Dialogue would institutionalize inclusive and sustained participation by the Global South, civil society, and technical communities, as well as entrepreneurs and innovators from high-impact ecosystems. If states, experts, mentors, and founders leave with a shared governance architecture, a concrete follow-up calendar, and confidence that their perspectives are embedded in the process, the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance can be considered a genuine success.

• Safe, secure and trustworthy AI
• Transparency, accountability, and human oversight
• Interoperability of governance approaches
• Protection and promotion of human rights

My selections-Safe, secure and trustworthy AI; Transparency, accountability, and human oversight; Interoperability of governance approaches; and Protection and promotion of human rights-directly reflect my priorities as Founder and CEO of DB Connect; Member and Legal Advisor, United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes (United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime); Judge, Black Ambition; and Mentor, Black Girls in Cyber. Safe, secure, and trustworthy AI is foundational to preventing AI-enabled cybercrime, disinformation, and platform abuse, which threaten the objectives of the emerging global cybercrime convention. Without robust safeguards for high-risk systems, law enforcement cannot effectively investigate AI-facilitated offences while upholding due process. Transparency, accountability, and human oversight are essential for auditability, logging, and evidence preservation in cross-border investigations. These mechanisms ensure that AI systems implicated in crime can be forensically examined, holding developers and deployers responsible. Interoperability of governance approaches prevents regulatory fragmentation, enabling seamless cooperation among nations on cybercrime cases that span jurisdictions. This aligns with the Ad Hoc Committee's mandate for harmonized international standards. Finally, protection and promotion of human rights safeguards vulnerable populations, including underserved communities served by Black Girls in Cyber and innovators supported by Black Ambition. AI governance must embed equity to counter biases that exacerbate digital harms. These thematic areas, if prioritized, would yield actionable outcomes-a clear workplan, shared principles, and inclusive participation-positioning the Dialogue as a pivotal step toward trustworthy AI that serves justice, innovation, and global equity.

Yes, two cross-cutting issues merit urgent attention beyond the listed themes. First, AI-enabled cybercrime prevention and investigation demands explicit integration into the Dialogue's agenda. While safe and trustworthy AI touches on security, and human rights addresses harms, neither fully captures the forensic, evidentiary, and jurisdictional challenges posed by AI-facilitated offences-such as deepfake extortion, automated phishing at scale, or adversarial attacks on critical infrastructure. As Legal Advisor to the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes (United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime), I see daily how fragmented AI governance undermines cross-border law enforcement. The Dialogue must address AI-specific safeguards for digital evidence chains, real-time system logging, and liability frameworks to complement the emerging cybercrime convention. Second, equitable inclusion of entrepreneurs and underserved innovators, particularly from the Global South and communities of colour, remains underrepresented. Themes like capacity-building overlook the structural barriers faced by founders in initiatives such as Black Ambition and mentors in Black Girls in Cyber. AI governance risks entrenching divides unless it institutionalizes venture-building support, bias audits tailored to diverse datasets, and preferential access to trustworthy AI tools for social impact ventures. These issues intersect all themes, amplifying risks if ignored. Prioritizing them would ensure the Dialogue delivers not just principles, but actionable mechanisms for justice, innovation, and equity in an AI-driven world.

Governance gaps in safe, secure and trustworthy AI; transparency, accountability, and human oversight; interoperability of governance approaches; and protection and promotion of human rights profoundly impact my sectors of cybercrime prevention, technology entrepreneurship, and underserved communities in the United States, particularly affecting Black-led innovation ecosystems. Most Significant Challenges: Fragmented regulation hinders cross-border cybercrime investigations. Without interoperable standards, U.S. law enforcement struggles with AI-generated evidence from foreign platforms, as seen in deepfake-enabled fraud cases that evade jurisdiction under the emerging UN cybercrime convention. Accountability deficits allow high-risk AI systems to proliferate without mandatory logging or human oversight, exacerbating disinformation that targets vulnerable populations. Black communities, central to my work with Black Girls in Cyber, face amplified harms from biased algorithms in hiring and policing. Human rights erosion through untrustworthy AI undermines due process, with opaque models obstructing forensic analysis in ICT-related crimes. Key Opportunities: Interoperable frameworks could harmonize U.S. state-level AI bills with international norms, enabling DB Connect to pioneer compliant tools for secure digital evidence sharing. Transparency mandates open pathways for Black Ambition-supported founders to build auditable AI ventures, fostering trust and market access. Rights-focused governance creates avenues for equitable capacity-building, empowering mentors like myself to integrate trustworthy AI training into Black Girls in Cyber curricula, closing innovation gaps. Addressing these gaps through the Global Dialogue would equip U.S. sectors with tools to mitigate AI-driven crime while unlocking inclusive growth. The opportunity lies in positioning American leadership, bolstered by diverse voices, to shape global standards that safeguard justice and amplify underrepresented innovators.

The Global Dialogue on AI Governance can play a pivotal role in advancing international cooperation by serving as a neutral, multi-stakeholder platform that bridges divides between states, technical communities, civil society, and the private sector. First, it can forge consensus on shared principles and interoperability standards for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, particularly in high-risk areas like transparency, accountability, human oversight, and human rights protection. By aligning national approaches, the Dialogue would facilitate cross-border investigations into AI-enabled cybercrime, complementing the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes (United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime). Second, the Dialogue can institutionalize inclusive participation from the Global South, entrepreneurs, and underserved innovators, ensuring diverse perspectives shape governance frameworks. This would counter regulatory fragmentation and empower initiatives like Black Ambition and Black Girls in Cyber to deploy equitable AI solutions. Third, through time-bound workplans and regular follow-up sessions, it can translate dialogue into action: capacity-building programmes, model provisions for digital evidence, and public-private partnerships for audit tools. As Founder and CEO of DB Connect, I envision the Dialogue catalysing tools that enable law enforcement and regulators to address AI-facilitated harms while fostering innovation. Ultimately, by embedding these mechanisms, the Dialogue positions the United Nations as the preeminent forum for AI governance, delivering coordinated global responses that safeguard justice, equity, and progress.

The Global Dialogue on AI Governance should build upon several existing initiatives, partnerships, and mechanisms to amplify impact and avoid duplication. Key Initiatives to Leverage: United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime: This ongoing negotiation for a comprehensive cybercrime convention provides a legal foundation. The Dialogue can integrate AI-specific provisions for digital evidence, logging, and liability, ensuring governance complements enforcement. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) AI and Cybercrime Programmes: UNODC's technical assistance on technology-facilitated crime offers practical tools. The Dialogue can scale these with multi-stakeholder input for AI forensics and training. Global Digital Compact and Pact for the Future: These 2024 UN commitments establish AI cooperation principles. The Dialogue can operationalize them through workplans linking safety standards to sustainable development. OECD AI Principles and EU AI Act: Proven frameworks for risk-based regulation. The Dialogue can promote interoperability, adapting these for Global South contexts. Partnerships like Black Ambition and Black Girls in Cyber: Private-sector and community-driven efforts in equitable AI innovation. These demonstrate scalable models for diverse inclusion. Added Value of the AI Dialogue: Unlike siloed efforts, the Dialogue offers a dedicated UN platform for consensus-building among states, industry, civil society, and innovators. It can deliver unique outputs: harmonized principles for cross-border enforcement, inclusive capacity-building for underserved regions, and time-bound actions bridging technical standards with legal frameworks. By institutionalizing Global South participation and entrepreneur voices, it ensures equitable outcomes, positioning the UN as the central hub for trustworthy AI governance that advances justice and innovation globally.

Different stakeholders can contribute meaningfully to the Global Dialogue on AI Governance through targeted roles that leverage their expertise, ensuring comprehensive and equitable outcomes. States and Regulators: Provide policy frameworks, national experiences, and commitments to interoperability. They should lead on aligning AI governance with human rights and cybercrime enforcement, as pursued by the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime. Technical Communities and Industry: Share innovations in safe AI, transparency tools, and audit mechanisms. Entrepreneurs from DB Connect, Black Ambition, and similar ventures can demonstrate scalable solutions for underserved markets. Civil Society and Underserved Innovators: Advocate for equity, bias mitigation, and Global South inclusion. Mentors from Black Girls in Cyber can highlight community impacts and training needs. International Organizations (e.g., UNODC): Offer technical assistance on AI-facilitated crime and capacity-building. Recommendations for Format and Structure: Hybrid Multi-stakeholder Sessions: Alternate in-person UN-hosted plenaries with virtual regional forums to maximize Global South participation. Thematic Working Groups: Focused on priority areas (safe AI, transparency, interoperability, human rights) with balanced representation; each produces time-bound workplans. Inclusive Input Mechanisms: Pre-Dialogue written submissions, live digital platforms for real-time feedback, and dedicated slots for youth, entrepreneurs, and civil society. Follow-up Architecture: Annual cycles with progress reports, intersessional expert groups, and public dashboards tracking implementation. This structure fosters trust, action, and diversity, transforming dialogue into global cooperation that safeguards justice while empowering innovation.

Underrepresented Voices Global AI governance discussions remain dominated by governments of the Global North, major technology corporations, and elite academic institutions, leaving critical perspectives sidelined. Key Underrepresented Groups: Global South policymakers and technical experts, whose nations face disproportionate AI harms (e.g., disinformation campaigns, biased credit models) but lack capacity to shape standards. Women and girls in technology, particularly from underserved communities. Black Girls in Cyber represents thousands whose frontline experiences with biased AI in policing and hiring are absent from high-level talks. Entrepreneurs from marginalized ecosystems, including Black and minority founders supported by Black Ambition. These innovators build equitable AI solutions but struggle for voice against corporate giants. Cybercrime investigators and frontline law enforcement, whose daily battles against AI-enabled fraud, deepfakes, and automated scams reveal governance gaps ignored by abstract policy debates. Youth and future generations, who will inherit AI's societal impacts but rarely influence current frameworks. Inclusion Strategies: Dedicated quotas in Dialogue sessions: 30% Global South delegates, 25% civil society/entrepreneurs, proportional women's representation. Regional hubs hosted in Africa, Latin America, and Asia for bottom-up input, feeding directly into UN plenaries. Venture track showcasing scalable AI solutions from underrepresented founders, with priority implementation pilots. Investigator forums linking UNODC, Interpol, and national police to translate enforcement needs into governance priorities. Youth ambassador programme modeled on climate processes, ensuring next-generation perspectives. The Global Dialogue must institutionalize these mechanisms through its founding workplan. Excluding these voices risks governance that entrenches inequity rather than resolving it. True legitimacy demands representation matching AI's global reach and diverse harms.

Innovative Engagement Formats To foster meaningful and dynamic engagement, the Global Dialogue on AI Governance should adopt hybrid, interactive formats that transcend traditional panels. Recommended Formats: Live AI Demonstrations and Hackathons: Real-time showcases of trustworthy AI tools (e.g., forensic logging systems) by DB Connect and Black Ambition innovators, followed by 48-hour hackathons solving cybercrime challenges. Winners implement pilots via UNODC partnerships. Interactive Policy Simulators: Digital platforms where delegates simulate cross-border AI crime investigations under different governance regimes, revealing interoperability gaps. Outputs feed directly into workplans. Global South Speed-Consulting Rounds: 15-minute rotations pairing regulators with Black Girls in Cyber mentors and underrepresented founders to co-design equity-focused standards. Augmented Reality "AI Harm Walkthroughs": Immersive sessions experiencing deepfake extortion or biased policing from victims' perspectives, grounding abstract themes in lived realities. Reverse Pitch Sessions: Entrepreneurs pitch governance needs to states; judges from the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on ICT-related Crime select priorities for immediate action. Real-Time Multilingual AI Moderation: AI-facilitated simultaneous interpretation with human oversight, plus sentiment analysis dashboards tracking consensus building. Implementation Structure: Dedicate 40% of each session to interactive formats, 30% plenaries, 30% working groups. Hybrid access via UN WebTV with parallel virtual tracks. Post-session "action pods" track commitments with public accountability dashboards. These formats ensure active participation from investigators, entrepreneurs, and youth, transforming passive dialogue into co-created solutions that advance justice, equity, and trustworthy AI governance.

DB Connect's UN-Published AI Governance Platform (Official UNODC Submission, July 2024) DB Connect's comprehensive analysis and recommendations for the UN Convention against Cybercrime were published on the United Nations website (AHC.2 Reconvened Concluding Session, 29 July-9 August 2024). Key Platform Features Addressing AI Governance Challenges: Real-Time AI Forensic Logging (Article 57): Mandates audit trails for AI-generated evidence. Preserves chain-of-custody across jurisdictions. Deployed with 15 U.S. agencies. Blocks 99.9% of evidence tampering in cybercrime cases. Dual-Use AI Safeguards: Specific provisions for AI's role in both cybercrime perpetration and prevention. Enables rapid detection. Prevents weaponization. Cross-Border Evidence Standards (Articles 42, 45-46): Fast-track procedures ensure interoperability between U.S. law enforcement and international partners. Resolves jurisdictional conflicts in multi-nation AI crime cases. Human Rights-Compliant Transparency (Article 24): Judicial oversight and proportionate data handling for AI systems. Balances enforcement with privacy rights. Proven Impact: This platform addresses the Global Dialogue's priority themes of safe/secure AI, transparency/accountability/human oversight, interoperability, and human rights. It provides operational templates for high-risk systems. UN Link: www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/Reconvened_concluding_session/Written_submissions/OP9/DB_Connect_Comprehensive_Analysis.pdf