What’s the topic?

AI is increasingly permeating every aspect of human life and has emerged as a transformative force shaping societies, economies, and institutions worldwide. As its capabilities and applications continue to expand, AI has begun to significantly shape progress across many sectors, including those critical to sustainable development.

AI is found to be a potential enabler for achieving many of the social, economic, and environmental targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, significant trade-offs and gaps remain. How can developing and low-income countries harness AI in a manner that is anchored in their own values, priorities, and local contexts? As AI applications increasingly rely on large-scale data processing, how can the needs of innovation be balanced with data protection, safety, and accountability? Persistent concerns also remain around inequalities in access and benefits, bias and discrimination, erosion of social cohesion and effects on societal resilience, and the ethical frameworks needed to govern AI’s growing influence.

It is within this complex and evolving landscape that universities assume a critical, impactful role. As centres of learning, engines of innovation and knowledge creation, and ethical anchors, higher education institutions (HEIs) occupy a central role in shaping how AI is researched, governed, and applied in the service of the common good.

ASEFInnoLab7 complements ongoing international efforts by diving deep into how universities can catalyse AI in pursuit of broader societal goals. Carrying the theme “The Role of Universities in Advancing AI for Good”, it will focus on areas where universities can take the lead towards inclusive, ethical, and socially beneficial outcomes: