Of the different outcomes to emerge from the Summit of the Future, the Global Digital Compact is arguably the most important.

It places renewed emphasis on major challenges such as the need to connect the remaining 2.6 billion people in the world to the Internet, and breaks new ground by outlining the role the United Nations can play in global AI governance.

Concretely, the Global Digital Compact or GDC is a global blueprint where “objectives, principles, commitments and actions” are set by all countries of the world for an “inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe and secure digital future for all”.

It is a vision of a future where all digital technologies are developed to serve humanity in a way that protects human rights, promotes inclusion, and realizes the Sustainable Development Goals.

Why the GDC matters

The United Nations has addressed digital issues in the past through the World Information Society Summit and the Internet Governance Forum, but none of these efforts included current issues such as the spread of misinformation and disinformation, or how to respond to the development of artificial intelligence.

Many of these discussions also took place in Geneva, the traditional hub for digital issues, and not New York City, considered more of a ‘political’ hub. With the GDC, these discussions are partially transferred to UN Headquarters in New York, which has its benefits and downsides.

On one hand, it raises the visibility of these issues with the aim of generating wider political support. On the other, global agreements can be harder to come by as discussions tend to be more political.

Ultimately, the GDC tries to answer two basic questions: what role should the UN play in governing our global digital future and how can global digital cooperation be unlocked towards full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals?

Successfully answering these two questions will determine whether the GDC will be able to pave the way for groundbreaking digital transformation across the world.

What makes the GDC unique?

For a detailed breakdown on the GDC, your best bet is Pact Decoded.

But for a quick overview of what makes the GDC unique, we can look to these three broad areas:

1. Bridging the digital divide

The challenge of digital transformation is massive, but so is the need.

There are 2.6 billion people not connected to the Internet. That’s largely because proper digital infrastructure (think data centers, telecom towers, cables, satellites, smartphones, etc.) is weak in some countries, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. Moreover, developing digital literacy, digital skills and capacities in people is urgently needed if they are to engage meaningfully in the digital society, particularly for vulnerable groups.

In some cases, the existence of poor digital environments can hamper growth for small and medium-sized enterprises in the digital economy. Lack of support for digital public goods and infrastructure can also impede societies from achieving digital transformation and advancing solutions that implement the Sustainable Development Goals. The list goes on!

But the GDC addresses these issues head on through objectives 1 and 2: “Close all digital divides and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals”, and “Expand inclusion in and benefit fostering inclusion from the digital economy respectively.”

Take connectivity for example. Connecting the remaining 2.6 billion people to the Internet requires substantial investments from all the major financial players: governments, multilateral development banks, international organizations, private banks, tech companies, etc. to develop the necessary digital infrastructure. It also means making devices such as smartphones more affordable and lowering broadband subscriptions costs. In hard-to-reach areas, satellites will be costly but necessary. This, and more, is what it will take to bridge the digital divide.

The challenge of properly developing digital skills ranges from adapting school curricula to designing vocational training so workers affected by digitalization and automation can learn new skills, and from assisting public institutions in leveraging the power of digital technologies to promoting capacity building and technical assistance to developing countries in a way that all countries involved benefit.

Again, the GDC brings these issues back to the agenda and reminds world leaders that, unless we take digital cooperation seriously, digital technologies can have the adverse effect of leaving more people behind.

2. Focus on human rights

The phrase human rights is mentioned 30 times in the text.

This is crucial, because there are still disagreements between governments on whether human rights law also applies to the digital realm. While this might seem a no-brainer, it’s difficult to apply. How can a country enforce human rights law in a place with no physical borders?

The GDC states in no uncertain terms that it is possible. Objective 3 of the GDC is to “Foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights.” It also outlines it in saying “This Compact is anchored in international law, including international human rights law”, ensuring that countries cannot pick and choose which objectives to implement, and confirming that it applies to the entire text.

When reading the GDC, it’s clear that diplomats are concerned about the multiple examples of harm, particularly in the use of social media by children (anyone under 18 years of age is considered a child in this case). It implores tech companies to ensure that the digital space is one that everyone, particularly children, can enjoy safely. However, harm and abuse in digital spaces is not only limited to children – everyone can be at risk if concrete measures are not taken. Therefore the GDC highlights the importance of cooperation, transparency and accountability in promoting digital trust and safety.

Similarly, concerns around misinformation and disinformation are palpable, particularly in how this has affected elections in democratic countries. This can also affect the full enjoyment of human rights, such as the right to privacy, freedom of expression and access to information. The GDC proposes a range of measures such as digital literacy, strengthening independent and public media, empowering social media users to make informed decisions, and continuing to develop solutions to counter potential harms, particularly with the possibility of AI-generated misinformation and disinformation.

3. Multilateral AI governance

ChatGPT was launched in November 2022 and has since taken the world by storm.

AI existed before it, but this was the first time it became so easy to use. Since then, there have been multiple attempts to create rules of the road for its development, from self-regulation by tech companies to regional legal frameworks such as the EU AI Act. But none of them have been truly global. The GDC tries to cover that gap, as outlined in Objective 5, “Enhance international governance of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.”

Under Objective 5, the GDC mandates the creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. This body would be composed of multiple AI researchers from all over the world to understand exactly what benefits and risks are associated with AI deployment. The fact that it is designed to be a truly global scientific body will make it the authority on AI, just as the IPCC is for climate change. How much authority it will truly have is something that the countries represented at the UN are trying to figure out right now.

The GDC also mandates the creation of a Global Dialogue on AI Governance. Again, details are yet to be made concrete, but it would essentially be a convening space for governments, the private sector, academia and civil society to discuss global AI governance. There are already some good examples, such as the AI for Good Summit coordinated by ITU, other UN partners and the government of Switzerland. The Global Dialogue on AI Governance would be organized under the General Assembly, which essentially means all governments in the UN have agreed to organize it.

What next for the GDC?

Now, the focus turns to implementation.

The UN is already undergoing internal rearrangements to focus on precisely that. For example, the GDC mandated the creation of a UN office to provide coordination among different UN entities. As of January 1, 2025 the UN has created a new office for Digital and Emerging Technologies.

Diplomats are also set to outline the details for the AI elements of the GDC as described above. This will happen in 2025, already an important year for digital cooperation as the World Information Society Summit undergoes its 20^th year review process.

Ultimately, our digital future must be collaborative in nature. Under Principles, the GDC states that “Our cooperation will be multi-stakeholder and harness the contributions of all”.

This means that all of us – governments, businesses, researchers, young people, entrepreneurs, activists, human rights defenders – will play a role in shaping our digital future.