As a significant side event at the AI Action Summit 2025, ELIAS played an important role in supporting the Workshop on AI Ethics and Education for Democracy. Held on February 6, 2025, at CNRS Site Pouchet in Paris, this interdisciplinary gathering united global experts to examine the intersection of AI, ethics, and democratic values.
The AI Action Summit 2025, held in Paris on February 10-11, gathered over 100 heads of state, leading AI organisations, and 1,500 experts to address the future of AI governance. A central theme of the summit was the need for a global framework that balances AI’s rapid advancements with ethical and sustainable development, particularly in Europe.
Promoting AI Ethics and Education for a Democratic Future
Together with IRCAI, International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO, Centre for Internet and Society at CNRS, and 3IA Côte d’Azur, ELIAS supported and co-organised a workshop on AI Ethics and Education for Democracy at AI Action Summit, co-led by IRCAI’s Director John Shawe-Taylor and Vanessa Nurock, Professor of Philosophy at Côte d’Azur University.
This event, held at the CNRS Site Pouchet in Paris, brought together AI and ethics experts to discuss how we can strengthen democracy in the age of AI. The event highlighted ongoing research and insights from the Journal of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development (JAISD), deepening the dialogue on AI’s role in a democratic future, ethical information dissemination, and education. The discussions aimed to explore how we can ensure that AI does not jeopardise democracy and how we can cultivate a democratic, AI-enabled education. This theme is particularly important in today’s post-truth era, where the question arises: under what conditions could AI encourage education for democracy?
Experts and participants from Brazil, Chile, the UK, France, Slovenia, and Portugal in-depth discussions on the ethical challenges of information dissemination, and the potential role of AI in transforming education. Discussions centred on ensuring human-centric AI, mitigating bias and misinformation, and fostering AI-driven educational innovation while safeguarding democratic values.
UNESCO AI Centres Meeting: Strengthening Global Collaboration
Representing ELIAS and its partner organisation IRCAI, Joao Pita Costa further contributed to the global AI ethics dialogue at the UNESCO AI Centres meeting on February 10, 2025, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The meeting provided a platform to present ELIAS’ research and outcomes from the Workshop, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary and international cooperation in AI governance, emphasizing the consortium’s mission to develop AI solutions aligned with sustainability and democratic principles.
AI for a Democratic and Sustainable Future
The JAISD Workshop and AI Action Summit 2025 reinforced the urgent need for responsible AI development that upholds democratic principles and drives sustainable progress. As a key contributor, ELIAS continues to shape AI policies and research, ensuring that technological advancements align with societal well-being, ethical standards, and long-term sustainability. Through its continued collaboration with academia, industry, and global partners, ELIAS is dedicated to positioning Europe as a leader in AI innovation—one that prioritises inclusivity, respects fundamental rights, and fosters a more just and cohesive global society.