Goal 16 is about promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. People everywhere should be free of fear from all forms of violence and feel safe as they go about their lives whatever their ethnicity, faith or sexual orientation.

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Artificial intelligence is enabling the development of invaluable services and taking part in more and more aspects of our lives. Built from data, hardware and connectivity, AI allows machines to mimic human intelligence such as perception, problem-solving, linguistic interaction or creativity. These technologies contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, these rapid changes raise major issues. UNESCO addresses these matters, from ethics of AI, AI in education, gender equality, to capacity building for governments and judiciary.

AI holds the potential to address complex challenges from enhancing education and improving health care, to driving scientific innovation and climate action. However, AI systems also pose risks to privacy, safety, security, and human autonomy. Effective governance is essential to ensure AI development and deployment are safe, secure and trustworthy, with policies and regulation that foster innovation and competition.

Digital transformation – the impact of digital technologies and data and their use on existing and new activities – is accelerating worldwide, affecting all sectors. It offers immense opportunities for our economies and societies yet poses important risks that must be addressed to reap its benefits. Countries and stakeholders must work together in an evidence-based, whole-of-governance approach to advance a trusted, sustainable and inclusive digital future for all.

People’s life chances can be strongly influenced by factors such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, their place of birth, or their parents’ socioeconomic status. The OECD provides governments with data and analysis to help design policies that address obstacles to ensuring equal opportunities for all.

Democracies are under growing internal and external pressures, including political polarisation, the spread of disinformation and the rise of populism. We provide governments with policy solutions, data, expertise and good practices on the public governance challenges they face to help them preserve and strengthen their democracies, build trust in government and public institutions, fight mis- and disinformation, and improve government openness, citizen participation and inclusiveness.

The Ad hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI) has been succeeded by the Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI).