UNESCO-ITU Joint Statement on Inclusive and Trustworthy AI Governance: Who Gets to Shape AI's Future?

Applies To

Overview

The statement, published on 21 September 2026, reflects a shared position between two major United Nations bodies on what legitimate AI governance should look like at the international level. It emphasizes that governance frameworks must be designed to include a broad range of countries and communities, particularly those that have historically been underrepresented in technology standard-setting. Key themes include trustworthiness, meaningful participation, and the integration of human-rights impact assessments into AI development and deployment processes. While it does not impose direct legal obligations on private entities, it shapes the environment in which national regulations and multilateral agreements are developed. Organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions should treat this statement as an indicator of the direction international norms are moving. Its influence is likely to be felt through procurement requirements, regulatory guidance, and bilateral agreements that reference UNESCO and ITU positions.

Key Requirements

• •Support meaningful participation of diverse countries and communities in AI governance processes, rather than limiting decision-making to a narrow set of actors
• •Incorporate human-rights impact assessments into AI development and deployment practices
• •Align national AI strategies with inclusive governance principles as articulated by multilateral bodies
• •Ensure that AI governance processes are designed to be trustworthy, transparent, and accountable to affected populations
• •Engage with stakeholder participation mechanisms when operating in jurisdictions that adopt these principles into national policy

What Your Organization Must Do

• →Review your organization's AI governance documentation to identify gaps relative to international inclusion and human-rights standards promoted by UNESCO and ITU
• →Map the jurisdictions in which your AI systems operate and monitor whether those governments are updating national AI strategies in response to this statement
• →Engage your legal and policy teams to assess how multilateral frameworks of this kind may be referenced in future procurement requirements or regulatory guidance
• →Incorporate human-rights impact assessment procedures into your AI development lifecycle, particularly for systems deployed in or affecting vulnerable populations
• →Update stakeholder engagement practices to ensure affected communities have a documented avenue to provide input on AI systems that affect them
• →Brief senior leadership on the direction of international AI governance norms, as this statement signals broader multilateral expectations that may translate into binding requirements over time

Playbook Guidance

Step-by-step implementation guidance for compliance teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UNESCO-ITU Joint Statement on Inclusive and Trustworthy AI Governance legally binding on private companies?

No, it is a non-binding multilateral position statement, not a legal instrument. However, organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions should monitor how national governments incorporate its principles into procurement rules, regulatory guidance, and bilateral agreements, which can create indirect compliance obligations.

Which organizations does the UNESCO-ITU joint statement directly affect?

The statement targets large enterprises, public sector bodies, AI developers, and AI deployers, particularly those operating across multiple jurisdictions. Its practical reach extends to any organization whose AI systems affect populations in countries that adopt these inclusive governance principles into national policy.

What does the UNESCO-ITU statement require regarding human-rights impact assessments for AI?

The statement calls for human-rights impact assessments to be integrated into AI development and deployment processes, not treated as a post-deployment review. Organizations should embed these assessments into their AI development lifecycle, with particular attention to systems that affect vulnerable or historically underrepresented communities.

How does the UNESCO-ITU joint statement compare to the EU AI Act in terms of compliance obligations?

Unlike the EU AI Act, which imposes enforceable legal requirements with defined penalties, this statement establishes normative expectations without direct enforcement mechanisms. Its significance lies in shaping the direction of future binding instruments and influencing procurement requirements in jurisdictions that reference UNESCO and ITU positions.

When does the UNESCO-ITU joint statement take effect, and what should compliance teams prioritize before that date?

The statement carries an effective date of 21 September 2026. Before then, compliance teams should audit existing AI governance documentation against international inclusion and human-rights standards, map jurisdictions where national AI strategies may be updating in response, and brief senior leadership on how multilateral norms could translate into binding requirements.

How should multinational companies approach stakeholder engagement under the UNESCO-ITU inclusive AI governance framework?

Organizations should establish documented channels through which affected communities can provide meaningful input on AI systems that impact them, going beyond token consultation processes. Legal and policy teams should assess whether jurisdictions where the company operates are codifying these stakeholder engagement expectations into national regulatory frameworks.