Assessing the Alignment Between Proposals for the International Governance of Artificial Intelligence and the Common-Pool Resource Governance Framework

This project will evaluate the extent to which prominent international AI governance frameworks align with the common-pool resources (CPR) governance framework; its execution will consist in semi-structured interviews with experts and extensive literature review. The project aims to clarify how well-suited existing international AI governance proposals are to addressing the collective action problems marring international AI development. This clarification is a step towards mitigating these collective action problems and the risks they entail, as it will provide direction for how these proposals ought to be adapted. My research will also recommend policy outcomes to address current proposals’ blindspots, which will contribute to existing policy goals for international AI governance that may then be vetted by researchers and implemented into future international AI governance policy.
This project is directly aligned with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) Digital Policy Hub’s core research focus on AI. One dimension of the CPR framework is the extent to which those associated with a common-pool resource are included in decisions about its governance—that is, CPR governance ought essentially to be democratic. In this sense, one criterion by which I will evaluate proposals is their consistency with democratic principles. To this extent, and considering my project’s focus on risks from AI systems, my research is also aligned with the hub’s research focus on democracy and security.

Faculty Supervisor:

David Goutor

Student:

Partner:

Centre for International Governance Innovation

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

McMaster University

Program: