Agenda

A candid conversation between leaders designing, building and funding culturally adapted, public-interest AI for contexts where reliability and inclusion are make-or-break: the equatorial forests along the Congo River, the steppes of central Mexico, or the Himalaya highlands. What does it take for governments, researchers, and grassroots communities to collaborate on it effectively? Which blind spots still quietly slow progress, and how to turn hard-won lessons in avoiding them into concrete policy and investment pathways? Among practitioners deploying AI systems at last mile and funders curating a strategic outlook on the wider ecosystem, this session convenes leaders with a uniquely sharp insight into where the field is headed next. And it will not stop at talk: attendees will get a rare first look at a public AI prototype re-imagining the interactions we get to have with our technologies, and a chance to jointly reflect on a public interest-centred vision for the future of local AI. If you want to understand what it takes to build AI that reflects humanity’s wealth of language and culture – and learn how to shape its future together for concrete impact at last mile, this is the room to be in.