The International Charter for Inclusive Artificial Intelligence celebrated its first anniversary. For the occasion, and to celebrate the first 100 signatories, an event was organised on 21 April in the presence of Cédric O, Secretary of State in charge of Digital Transition and Electronic Communications, Élisabeth Moréno, Minister in charge of Equality between women and men, Delphine O, Ambassador and Secretary General of the UN World Conference on Women, Nicole Ameline, member of UN-CEDAW and Cristina Lunghi, founder of Arborus.
A charter for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence
Launched on 21 April 2020 by Arborus and the Orange Group, the International Charter for Inclusive Artificial Intelligence aims to become a global reference for all companies committed to equal opportunities. Its purpose is to guarantee that artificial intelligence is designed, deployed and operated in a responsible and inclusive manner. Seven commitments are put forward with a view to creating a framework of trust for individuals on how AI systems are designed and used.
One year later, about a hundred companies, institutions, associations specialized or involved in the AI world have signed this Charter while committing to apply it in all of their approaches related to AI. Elisabeth Moreno made a point of congratulating Arborus and its partners, who were behind this initiative:
“In one year, you have made your charter and the GEEIS-AI label a reference. By linking inclusion to AI, these innovative tools make the heart of my ministry – equality – a real driving force. I want to invite all organizations to commit to this Charter, because the values of inclusion are now at the heart of our societal challenges.”
Orange, one of the Charter’s signatory groups, has called on a large number of companies to join the initiative. The French telecommunications company has obtained the Gender Equality European & International Standard – Artificial Intelligence (GEEIS-AI) certification created in September 2020 as an extension of the Charter, with audits performed by Bureau Veritas Certification.
An anniversary celebrated for several purposes
Among the signatories of the Charter are:
- Major groups: Accenture, Danone, EDF, L’Oréal, Metro, Orange and Sodexo
- Tech companies: Gandi, 50 in Tech, Technion, DOPTIM, Wave Autos, Awebi, Swiss Ingineering, The Good AI, AB5 Consulting, La Forge, Bruce Dokki
- Specialized associations: Social Builder, AI for All, Fondation Femmes@Numérique, WomenVAI, PWN, Syntec Numérique, Global Contact, Creative Resolution
- Institutions: University of Geneva, ELM Lyon, Université Rennes II, Institute of NeuroCognitivism
The anniversary of the Charter celebrated on April 21 was an opportunity to highlight these signatories, but also to underline the commitment of France and its political, economic and associative actors, as carriers of a movement for a socially and ethically responsible, fair and inclusive AI. The event, which was conducted via a live broadcast from Bercy, brought together participants for a digital exchange.
Delphine O wished to highlight the importance of training around AI:
“I am convinced that the implementation of more inclusive algorithms requires the training of more women in digital professions and computer programming.”
Nicole Ameline spoke out around the creation of this charter:
“AI is a force for sustainable change. By signing the first International Charter for an inclusive AI, France is committing to an exemplary path that combines universal values with the digital transition.”
Translated from Le premier anniversaire de la Charte Internationale pour une intelligence artificielle inclusive
