Inter-parliamentary cooperation for AI

This high-level guideline is intended for parliamentary leadership and senior parliamentary managers, as well as for senior IT staff who are interested in the adoption and application of AI in their parliament.

This guideline explores how parliaments can work together to support good practice and the ethical use of AI at a time when legislatures are increasingly embracing the opportunities and addressing the challenges presented by this technology. It looks at various forms of parliamentary cooperation and collaboration, providing guidance and recommendations for parliaments in this area.

Every parliament will likely apply these Guidelines in unique ways, adapting them to its specific context, culture and needs. However, the universal nature of many AI challenges presents a compelling case for inter-parliamentary cooperation. Collaboration is encouraged at all levels, whether this is global, regional or subregional.

The foundation of effective collaboration lies in robust networks. Parliaments should create formal AI knowledge-sharing networks for continuous exchange. Networks such as the IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament (CIP) already exist as vehicles for these conversations, where parliamentary staff can discuss the latest developments and challenges in AI governance.

Parliaments are encouraged to document successful AI implementations, analyse challenges and share lessons learned. A centralized repository of use cases, case studies and solutions that is accessible to all parliaments – such as the use cases that accompany these Guidelines – can serve as a valuable resource for parliaments at various stages of AI adoption.

Joint research initiatives and shared pilot projects offer an opportunity for parliaments to pool resources and expertise, and to learn together. Parliaments could coordinate efforts, focusing on developing open-source AI tools specifically designed for parliamentary use. For instance, a collaborative project to create an AI-powered legislative drafting assistant could benefit many parliaments, including those that might not have the resources to undertake such an endeavour on their own.

While every parliament operates within its unique context, there is value in aligning internal approaches to AI governance. Parliaments have already collaborated to create these Guidelines, and this process could be extended to grow the Guidelines and keep them up-to-date and relevant. Co-created resources such as these will provide a solid foundation for parliaments to build upon, adapting them to local needs while ensuring a baseline of good practice.

The rapid evolution of AI necessitates ongoing training and capacity-building. Parliaments can create efficiencies by jointly developing training programmes for members and staff. They might even consider developing a certification in AI governance for parliaments. Exchanges of AI experts and specialists between parliaments will foster cross-pollination of ideas and expertise.

Parliaments can jointly establish protocols for secure data-sharing and develop common data standards for AI applications, following the example of Akoma Ntosa, which was developed as an international standard for parliamentary data. This could include collaborative efforts to improve data quality and consistency across parliaments, enhancing the potential for AI-driven insights.

Parliaments can work together to develop shared frameworks for AI system audits, facilitating peer-review processes for AI implementations. Together, they can develop common metrics for measuring AI impact and effectiveness, ensuring that AI serves the needs of democratic institutions and citizens.

Parliaments could coordinate on collaborative approaches to common issues such as mitigating biases, ensuring AI transparency or managing AI-related privacy concerns. By pooling knowledge and resources, parliaments could develop more effective solutions to these shared challenges.

As AI governance becomes a global concern, parliaments should engage with international initiatives to ensure their interests are represented in global forums. By taking these steps, parliaments can facilitate collaboration on AI-related legislation and regulation, thus helping to ensure that democratic principles are upheld in the global AI landscape.

Parliaments should be involved in collaborative foresight and scenario planning exercises, helping to prepare for potential future developments in AI. This could include joint research on emerging AI technologies and their implications for parliamentary work, as well as the development of adaptive governance frameworks that can evolve alongside AI technology.

Throughout these collaborative efforts, the CIP acts as a crucial facilitator and coordinator, uniquely positioned to perform the following roles:

• Acting as a central hub for the sharing of knowledge and good practices, and supporting regional networks
• Providing a neutral platform for discussing challenges and developing solutions
• Representing parliamentary interests in global AI governance discussions
• Fostering a community of practice among parliaments, and encouraging ongoing dialogue and collaboration
• Offering expertise and resources to support parliaments at various stages of AI adoption

By leveraging its network and resources, the CIP plays a pivotal role in ensuring that parliaments worldwide are well-equipped to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its risks.

As AI continues to transform parliamentary work, collaboration becomes not just beneficial, but essential. Through shared efforts in areas such as exchanging knowledge, developing projects and governance frameworks, and addressing common challenges, parliaments can navigate the complex landscape of AI more effectively.

The path forward is clear: through collaboration and coordination, parliaments can lead the way in ethical and effective AI governance, setting a standard for responsible AI use that extends to other sectors.

Actions

• Join the CIP’s thematic and regional networks to get peer support.
• Document and share AI use cases and implementation case studies.
• Collaborate on developing common AI governance frameworks, training programmes and data standards for parliaments.
• Engage in international AI initiatives and forums in order to represent parliamentary interests in global AI governance discussions.
• Participate in or initiate joint AI projects, focusing on open-source tools specific to parliamentary needs.
• Conduct collaborative foresight exercises to prepare for future AI developments and their implications for parliamentary work.

The Guidelines for AI in parliaments are published by the IPU in collaboration with the Parliamentary Data Science Hub in the IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence. It may be freely shared and reused with acknowledgement of the IPU. For more information about the IPU’s work on artificial intelligence, please visit www.ipu.org/AI or contact [email protected].

About the guidelines | The role of AI in parliaments | Introducing AI applications | Strategic actions towards AI governance | Risks and challenges for parliaments | Generic risks and biases | Ethical principles | Risk management | Alignment with national and international AI frameworks and standards | Project portfolio management | Data governance | Systems development | Security management | Training for Data Literacy and AI Literacy | Glossary of terms