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AI for the Global Majority

Timeline: 2025-26

Funding organisation: Microsoft

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Global Majority, AI for Good, AI Governance, AI Policy,  Applied Research.

Call for Papers – AI for the Global Majority: Charting a Way Forward

A joint initiative by the Geneva Graduate Institute, Microsoft,  the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and UNCTAD

 

Overview

The Geneva Graduate Institute's Tech Hub, in collaboration with Microsoft and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is launching a Call for Papers to explore innovative, participatory, and impactful pathways to ensure that Artificial Intelligence (AI) benefits the Global Majority. 

 

Background and Objectives

Artificial Intelligence is transforming every aspect of society — from healthcare and education to agriculture and climate resilience. This technology can enhance human and organisational capacity and become a key driver for progress in tackling the world's most pressing challenges. Yet, while the potential is vast, the risks and barriers remain of concern. Bias, privacy concerns, unequal access, and governance gaps threaten to exacerbate global inequalities if left unaddressed. To meet these challenges, this Call for Papers seeks to support interdisciplinary, evidence-based, and innovative research that places the Global Majority at the centre of AI development and policy.

 

Focus Areas

Proposals should focus on innovative initiatives to strengthen the responsible adoption and diffusion of AI for the Global Majority, across domains such as:

  • AI education, including AI capacity building, up-skilling, and literacy;
  • Data and AI standards and governance;
  • AI for Good, particularly in key sectors such as health, agriculture, trade, climate, and biodiversity conservation;
  • Open innovation, open-source AI, and open data.

This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive. We welcome both empirical and normative proposals—those that examine ongoing initiatives at the local and regional levels, as well as those offering forward-looking recommendations to advance responsible AI adoption and diffusion. Proposals should be context-sensitive, ensuring that solutions are applicable, viable, and sustainable within the specific local environments they aim to serve.

 

Why This Matters

This Call for Papers is part of a broader commitment by the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Tech Hub, Microsoft, and ITU to promote responsible and open innovation, strengthen AI literacy across the Global Majority, and contribute to the governance of emerging technologies. This initiative is in accordance with the principles and objectives promoted by the United Nations, who plays a central role in this process, by driving an inclusive multistakeholder approach as exemplified through the Global Digital Compact.

 

Who Should Apply

We welcome proposals from:

  • Academic researchers
  • Think tanks
  • Civil society organizations
  • Public sector actors
  • Private sector innovators
  • Youth organisations and networks

 

Evaluation criteria

See the list of all Evaluation Criteria. 

Cross-sector and cross-regional collaborations are especially encouraged. Teams will have to reflect a geographical and gender balance. Only teams that include women and members of the Global Majority will be considered.

 

Partners

  • The Geneva Graduate Institute is a global leader in research and education in international affairs. Through its Tech Hub, it brings together expertise on technology, governance, and development to explore how emerging technologies reshape global dynamics.
  • Microsoft works to democratize access to AI, with a focus on ensuring that the benefits of AI are widely shared, particularly in the Global Majority. Its AI Access Principles guide responsible innovation aligned with sustainable development.
  • The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations’ specialized agency for information and communication technologies. As the organizer of the AI for Good initiative, ITU fosters international dialogue and collaboration on the safe, inclusive, and effective use of artificial intelligence.
 

 

Applications will be open soon.

For more information, contact us at techhub@graduateinstitute.ch 

Evaluation Criteria

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