Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming societies and economies, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges for policymakers and regulators. A number of global, regional and national policies and frameworks have been implemented but in a fragmented way. To harness the full potential of AI and while mitigating its risks to ensure harmonized and responsible AI deployment, effective collaborative governance is essential. What would these look like? Applying strategic foresight will offer decision-makers with strategic pathways to enhance governance frameworks for responsible AI. 

The masterclass centered on the following key aspects:

1. What is strategic foresight?
2. What is the objective of providing guidance to AI?
3. What are the big signals, trends and drivers?
4. What scenarios do we envision to drive AI collaborative governance?
5. What actions to take to get to the scenarios we want?
6. How to engage the stakeholders in desired scenarios that lead to positive impact?

The Regional Regulatory Associations / Digital Regulation Network (DRN) Meeting provides a unique platform for Regulatory Associations (RA) to share experiences and knowledge. The aim of the ”DRN initiative” is to accelerate sustainable digital transformation through common approaches to collaborative digital policy, regulation and governance across economic sectors and across borders.

• • 9h00-9h10 Opening remarks

• • Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, BDT Director, ITU
  • Eng. Omar Abdulrahman Alrejraje, Representative AREGNET and RA-25 Chair, Deputy Governor of Regulation and Competition Sector, Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of)
  • 9h10-10h10 Discussion and interventions from the Regional Regulatory Associations

• • RAs activities and experiences
  • How RAs can contribute to DRN implementation
  • 10h10-10h15 way forward and closing

• • 10h15 Photo

As digital technologies transform how societies connect, trade, learn and are governed, regulators are being called to do more than oversee markets. The discussion focused on how regulators adapt and integrate innovation at the core of their institutional mission to help shape resilient and future-ready digital ecosystems.

• Best Practice Guidelines presentation and adoption
• Interactive high-level dialogue

The session will present the Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint , an updated edition of the landmark 2020 Connecting Humanity report, both developed by ITU with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This refreshed report looks at the latest targets for universal, meaningful connectivity and provides an updated cost estimate to close the core gaps perpetuating digital divides globally: infrastructure, affordability, skills, and policy and regulation. The new Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint charts a path toward closing these gaps by advancing best practices in multistakeholder partnerships, learning from successful case studies, advancing “Digital Inclusion Transformative Partnerships,” and monitoring and tracking progress through key performance indicators.

This session convened industry and private sector thought leaders who shared experiences, best practices and concrete proposals to address the complex regulatory and business landscape of the digital ecosystems. The meeting focused on dissecting the key regulatory challenges and opportunities of this decade that are influencing how industry operates.

World Equestrian Resort

This session examines evidence-based decision-making for sustainable growth, effective data collection, and innovative governance in digital transformation. The conversation started with a Ministerial exchange and continued with regulators and industry players.

• How can evidence-based decision making in a data driven economy support sustainable growth and innovation? How to raise awareness of the importance of prioritizing data collection. Sharing of national experiences
• Anticipatory and consultative policy and regulatory processes: the key to driving digital development, what works, what doesn’t work?
• Innovative governance approaches: digital cooperation and partnerships for sustainable digital transformation, soft versus normative regulatory approaches?

This session explored innovative technologies, future developments and regulatory measures to facilitate resilient universal connectivity.

• Sustainable universal connectivity: turning the dream into reality, what will it take?
• How can innovative technologies contribute to achieving universal connectivity?
• Business imperative: Satellites, wireless, subsea cables and fibre terrestrial networks, are these complementary or competing technologies in the digital ecosystem?
• Space and terrestrial: What spectrum for future networks?
• Future developments: From terrestrial to NTN, what can regulators do to facilitate safe, secured and resilient connectivity for all?
• Understanding the infrastructure needs of tomorrow, are we ready for it? The commercial hype versus the consumer need?

This interactive session of the NoW in ITU-D brought together women delegates, regulators, and policymakers to explore how gender-responsive regulation can drive inclusive and sustainable digital development. Participants engaged in dynamic group discussions on inclusive regulation, AI for green and trusted digital environments, and women’s leadership in digital policy. The session strengthened peer learning, networking, and empowered women delegates at GSR-25 to take on visible and influential roles in shaping the future of regulation.

The session explored regulatory strategies for secure infrastructure, data governance, and accountability of stakeholders in transformative technologies.

• What regulatory approaches are needed to ensure secure and resilient infrastructure including subsea cables, satellites, wireless networks, data centres and clouds, and other critical infrastructure?
• Securing the value chain, what framework and regulatory measures to apply to mitigate risks and foster trust?
• Trusted services and data governance: how to balance privacy, openness and data sharing in a secure way that fosters trust in transformative technologies?
• Ensuring accountability: What role for regulators, operators and digital players?

This session discussed policy and regulatory measures and the roles of stakeholders in building consumer confidence and protection in a transformative AI-driven world.

• What policy and regulatory measures are needed to protect consumers in an AI and big data driven world?
• How to ensure that AI systems are designed with diverse user groups in mind, taking into account different needs and perspectives? What role for regulators and digital providers?
• How to ensure that children and youth are safe online?
• Are collaborative approaches the answer to strengthen consumer protection, authenticity of information and to address bias?
• How to ensure compliance and enforcement in a globalized digital environment?

This session explored innovative approaches for stakeholders to foster inclusiveness of all people in the digital ecosystem by implementing ICT accessibility policies, strategies and standards in the design and deployment of ICT products and services.

• What innovative approaches can stakeholders take to ensure inclusiveness of all people regardless of age, gender, ability of geographical location, in the digital ecosystem?
• Which regulatory measures can promote a holistic and intersectional approach to access to and use of technology?
• What role for telcos, digital players and manufacturers in ensuring no one is left behind, ensuring accessibility by design?
• What economic and regulatory incentives can policy makers and regulators foresee to ensure ICT usage by all?
• How can transformative technologies contribute to digital inclusion of all?

This session addressed upskilling needs and gaps, looking at cross-sectoral cooperation, AI’s impact on jobs, and inclusiveness of public sector digital policies.

• Digital literacy, talent and skills development: understanding the needs and assessing the gaps to meet the digital talent required across sectors, are cross-sectoral cooperation and multistakeholder partnerships the answer?
• The impact of AI on skills and jobs across the digital economy: are we prepared?
• Targeting the public sector: are policies for inclusive, secure and user-centred digital public services in place?

This session explored how emerging technologies such as AI, big data, blockchain and IoT can be integrated across the regulatory cycle to enhance supervision, compliance and decision-making. The discussion covered:

• How real-time spectrum monitoring, automated compliance alerts, data-driven dashboards and smart licensing systems can improve regulatory efficiency.
• How integrated data sources, digital engagement platforms and crowd-sourced feedback can drive responsive and transparent regulation.
• How regulatory sandboxes, living labs and other experimentation tools can accelerate innovation while ensuring effective oversight.
• How regulators can address trust, ethics, privacy safeguards and accountability in the use of emerging technologies.
• What capacity-building measures are needed to support sustainable RegTech adoption across government.

This session discussed frameworks for sustainability as well as the role of digital tech in climate action, ESG compliance, and impact measurement. The discussion also addressed the emerging challenges of space sustainability and the growing space economy.

• Green tech: How can digitalization and data driven solutions support climate action?
• Can AI and digital tech reduce climate risks?
• What role for regulators and industry players in developing compliant ESG frameworks? Can regulators foster sustainability by design?
• How to measure impact: The importance of data and data analysis, are we there yet?
• Space Economy & Sustainability: As the space economy grows, what key principles should guide the sustainable use of orbital resources?

This session explored balancing innovation with responsible use of digital and new and emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, new space technologies and blockchain, the importance of co-creation in regulation, and governance models for sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems. 

• Balancing innovation and responsible use of digital and new and emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, new space technologies and blockchain: are agile regulatory approaches the answer?
• Fostering innovation, can co-creation and co-regulation work?
• How to regulate AI powered applications and systems, big data and data analytics (algorithms), IoT and the metaverse while encouraging innovation that aligns with sustainability and inclusivity goals?
• What governance models to apply to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem at the national level?