KINGSTON, Jamaica—The UNESCO Information For All Programme (IFAP) Working Group on Information Accessibility (WGIA) is set to host its sixth online one-day conference on Sunday to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

This year’s event is presented in collaboration with the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Alberta in Canada, and the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, under the auspices of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean and the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

“From young innovators to seasoned policymakers, the AI4IA Conference reminds us that the future of AI cannot be left to chance or a select few. It must be shaped by everyone, for everyone,” said Cordel Green, executive director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica and vice-chair of the UNESCO IFAP/WGIA.

Organisers of the conference pointed out that AI can be a tool of empowerment, or exclusion. “From biased algorithms to opaque ‘black box’ systems, the risks are real,” the organisers said.

However, they noted that the technology offers opportunities, among them improving education, expanding access for persons with disabilities, preserving cultural heritage, and giving communities a voice in shaping their future.

The conference will feature voices as diverse as teenage innovators in Chile, a young musical prodigy in India, and a legal expert from Denmark among more than 70 speakers worldwide, demonstrating that the future of AI is not the privilege of a few, but the responsibility of all.

This year’s theme, ‘AI Access in Focus’, highlights the power of technology to open doors — or close them — depending on how it is developed, shared, and governed.

On Sunday there will be a fireside chat and live interactive session during which participants can engage in expert discussions with available presenters in real time.

The conference is free and accessible to everyone who believes technology should promote equity, inclusion, and human dignity.

People interested in attending the conference are encouraged to register at https://ai4iaconference.com/.