We are pleased to launch our new monthly flagship commentary series, Why It Matters, offering timely analysis of global developments with a particular focus on human rights. Our inaugural commentary - Who Gets a Voice in Governing Artificial Intelligence? - examines why AI governance must ensure that innovation serves the broader public interest rather than further concentrating power in the hands of tech oligarchs and political elites.

Who Gets a Voice in Governing Artificial Intelligence?

By: Rina Amiri with advisory support from Sandy Coliver and research support from Thomas Ropelewski

President Trump recently issued an Executive Order establishing federal oversight of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems and requiring developers of advanced AI models to provide early notice to federal authorities before public release. The move responds to concerns that increasingly powerful AI systems could pose risks to critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and national security.

In the months leading up to the Executive Order, the administration's position in respect to AI regulation fluctuated. Weeks ago, President Trump caved to intense pressure from technology oligarchs and industry stakeholders including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and other prominent CEOs and investors who argued that excessive regulation could slow innovation and weaken American competitiveness vis a vis China and other countries. Following criticism from a broad range of policymakers, civil society organizations, labor advocates, and national security experts who warned against leaving AI largely unregulated, the administration reversed course and issued the Executive Order.

Regardless of one’s position in respect to the debate about the impact of regulations on U.S. competitiveness, the dynamics of White House deliberations highlight a troubling truth: the governance of artificial intelligence is increasingly being shaped by a small number of extraordinarily powerful actors who stand to benefit directly from the technology's rapid expansion.

Why this matters is not simply a question of technology policy. It is a question of democratic governance, raising critical questions about who shapes public policy, whose interests are represented, and whether democratic institutions can effectively govern technologies that are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small number of powerful actors.

Technology experts—among a range of other relevant stakeholders—have a role to play in policy discussions. Their expertise is valuable, and their perspectives are important. The question is not whether they should have a voice in these discussions, but whether they should dominate the conversation and dictate the rules, particularly given that their economic interests create clear conflicts of interest. AI is not merely another technological innovation—decisions about how AI is governed will have consequences that extend far beyond Silicon Valley.

We need to be clear-eyed that AI is increasingly a global governance issue. Decisions made today are likely to influence not only economic outcomes but will also impact the future of human rights, democratic accountability, and social inclusion. It is already shaping labor markets, transforming economic opportunity, and affecting the distribution of power across society.

Historically, technological revolutions ultimately led governments to create institutions capable of balancing the interests of capital, labor, and the public. The Industrial Revolution eventually led workers to demand and secure labor protections, workplace safety standards, and restrictions on child labor. The rise of mass industrial production and the glaring inequality it produced contributed to the recognition of collective bargaining rights and labor protections as critical guardrails of a just and secure society. The economic disruptions of the twentieth century led to Social Security, unemployment insurance, and other  programs designed to ensure that the benefits of economic growth were more broadly shared. These reforms emerged because society understood and ultimately prevailed upon political actors to address the fact that while technological change created opportunities, it also led to disruption and exacerbated exploitation.

Today, with the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, we are witnessing one of the most significant technological transformations in history, without a comparable effort yet to establish protections for workers, guardrails against excessive concentrations of power, or mechanisms for democratic participation. Governments today appear far more focused on maximizing gains for the few rather than protecting the many people whose lives and economic futures are being vastly shaped by AI.

One of the defining governance challenges of the AI era is therefore ensuring that technological development remains accountable to democratic institutions and public interests rather than being driven exclusively by governments and private actors with concentrated economic power.

This challenge is not unique to the United States. Ironically even China is pursuing an ambitious AI governance framework while simultaneously working to become the global lead in artificial intelligence. While China’s approach clearly focuses on very different values and priorities than those of democratic societies, it demonstrates that even our competitors recognize that AI regulation is vital. The real question is not whether to regulate AI but how to ensure that AI benefits society rather than the interests of those that already have a monopoly of economic and political power.

Other countries and institutions have been quicker to acknowledge this need than the United States. In fact, just last week several hundred countries, employers, and labor unions formed the first ever ILO Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy establishing obligations on employers and states to protect the rights of workers. Individual countries have also already started taking the necessary steps to put in place regulation that protects society and its workforce. The European Union is pursuing a rights-based framework through its AI Act. International organizations, labor institutions, and human rights advocates have begun exploring common principles for responsible AI governance.  Another significant development has come from the UNI Global Union, which represents more than 20 million workers in over 150 countries. UNI has developed principles emphasizing worker consultation, transparency, privacy protections, accountability, and access to education and reskilling opportunities as AI technologies are deployed. These efforts differ in many respects, but most acknowledge that  technological governance cannot be separated from questions of rights, accountability, and inclusion.

The Trump administration's Executive Order is a necessary step that acknowledges the fact that AI requires oversight. Compliance with these policies should be mandatory, not voluntary as it stands currently. Moreover, far more needs to be done to advance the policies and infrastructure required to protect people, rights, and democratic participation. This means requiring transparency and accountability from AI developers while also establishing formal mechanisms for worker organizations, civil society, academics, sectoral experts and communities most affected by AI–including women who are often left out of this male-dominated sector–to meaningfully participate in the development, implementation and oversight of AI policy.

A central question in the deliberations on AI governance is whether we will develop a social contract capable of ensuring that the benefits of this transformation are shared broadly and governed democratically. The approach and answer to this question will determine whether AI becomes a force for a more equitable society with opportunities for shared prosperity—or if it will be another chapter in the growing monopolization of economic and political power in the hands of a narrow group of tech oligarchs and political elites.