by Editor BGF | Dec 7, 2025 | News
A milestone in the history of global AI governance emerged from the collaboration between the World Leadership Alliance–Club de Madrid (CdM) and the Boston Global Forum (BGF), culminating in the development of the Social Contract for the AI Age—a foundational framework for ethical, human-centered digital governance.
In 2019, CdM and BGF jointly called for a new social contract to guide societies through the profound transformations brought by artificial intelligence. This vision took shape through a series of high-level dialogues and was further advanced at the Transatlantic Policy Lab (September 16–18, 2020), where former heads of state, leading scholars, AI experts, and policymakers examined the urgent need for shared norms, values, and institutions for the AI era.
The resulting Social Contract for the AI Age proposes:
- a “digital TCP/IP” for international cooperation,
- principles of justice, equity, transparency, and human dignity,
- mechanisms to monitor and evaluate AI practices,
- a global Democratic Alliance for Digital Governance, and
- the creation of AIWS City as a practical model of the new digital society.
The initiative marked a historic step toward responsible AI governance and solidified BGF’s leadership in shaping a humane digital future. It remains one of the seminal moments in the evolution of AI ethics and global policy.
The final report is here:
https://clubmadrid. org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Final-Report-Policy-Lab-Transatlantic-Approaches-on-de-Digital-Age.pdf
by Editor BGF | Nov 30, 2025 | World Leader for Peace and Security, News, World Leaders in AIWS Award Updates
December 1
The Boston Global Forum and the AI World Society extend our heartfelt congratulations to President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, the 2019 World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipient, on the occasion of her birthday, December 1, 1937.
President Vīķe-Freiberga is a distinguished global stateswoman and former President of the Club de Madrid, the world’s leading forum of democratic former heads of state and government. Her leadership strengthened the Club’s impact on global democratic governance and elevated international dialogue on peace, security, and human dignity.
We are especially grateful for her exceptional contributions to the partnership between the Boston Global Forum and the Club de Madrid. Her vision and intellectual leadership were instrumental in shaping two of our most significant initiatives: the Social Contract for the AI Age and the AI World Society (AIWS) Model. Her wisdom, moral clarity, and commitment to ethical governance have provided essential guidance as we work to build a world where AI serves humanity with compassion, responsibility, and respect for human rights.
President Vīķe-Freiberga remains one of the great moral and intellectual voices of our time. Her legacy—from leading Latvia into a new era of democracy, to advising global institutions on human rights and ethical governance—continues to inspire leaders and citizens around the world.
On this special day, we celebrate her remarkable achievements, her enduring contributions to global peace and democracy, and her invaluable role in advancing the principles of an ethical, human-centered AI future. We wish President Vīķe-Freiberga continued health, joy, and strength, and we honor her as a guiding light in the international movement for enlightened leadership.
With deepest respect and warmest congratulations,
Boston Global Forum
AI World Society (AIWS)
by Editor BGF | Sep 29, 2025 | News
At the Boston Global Forum – Club de Madrid Conference (September 2020), world leaders and policy innovators launched the Social Contract for the AI Age.
Significance:
- One of the earliest comprehensive frameworks linking AI governance with democratic values.
- Called for ethics, accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness in the design and deployment of AI.
- Positioned AI as a force for peace, human dignity, and equality rather than division or exploitation.
- Became the foundation for later initiatives such as AIWS Government 24/7, the Boston Finance Accord for AI Governance 24/7, and the Abe AI Finance Protocol.
Global Impact:
- Shaped early international discussions on democratic AI governance.
- Provided intellectual groundwork for alliances and frameworks championed by BGF and its partners.
- Its relevance was strongly reaffirmed at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) in 2025, where leaders issued renewed calls for urgent action on democratic AI governance.
🔗 World Leaders Call for Urgent Action on Democratic AI Governance at UNGA80
by Editor | Aug 13, 2023 | Event Updates, News
The three-day Final Summit of Civil20 (C20), an official Engagement Group of G20, came to a successful close in Jaipur. The summit resulted in the presentation of the C20 Communique, a comprehensive inclusive survey and policy recommendations developed. This significant document was handed over to the G20 Secretariat and representatives of G20.
Here is an excerpt from the C20 Communique:
“We recognize the rapid and widespread change brought about by digital transformation, offering unprecedented advancements for improving the human condition. However, we call for the recognition that education or digital technologies, when improperly or maliciously used, can fuel divisions within and between societies and countries, increase insecurity, undermine human rights, and exacerbate inequalities and fervently hope that the G20 leaders will take cognizance of this and take necessary collective action. Education on emerging technologies and collaboration between stakeholders and countries is necessary for beneficial use and mitigation of potential harm and collaboration between stakeholders and countries to deal with the ever-evolving digital environment and promote a secure and inclusive digital world. We call for a new social contract to unite and protect an Artificial Intelligence World Society.”
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, the CEO of Boston Global Forum, took the stage as a distinguished keynote speaker at the C20 Summit, delivering a compelling address. He spoke about the potential of the AI World Society (AIWS) model, emphasizing its role in shaping a more promising future for the global community through AI. With profound insight, Mr. Tuan also underscored the significance of integrating the spiritual values championed by Amma, highlighting their capacity to guide us towards a world enriched by compassion, understanding, and enlightenment.
Please download the C20 Communique here.
Nguyen Anh Tuan speaks at C20-G20 Summit India 2023
by Editor | Jan 15, 2023 | News
ChatGPT can be used as an AI assistant for writing tasks such as essays, press releases, and speeches. The model’s advanced language understanding capabilities can help users generate text that is coherent, grammatically correct, and in line with their intended meaning. However, it’s important to keep in mind that GPT-3 is a machine learning model and its output may not be entirely accurate or appropriate, it’s always good to proofread and fact-check before publishing or submitting any work. Additionally, it’s important to use GPT-3 in a way that respects the rights and privacy of individuals, as outlined in the AIWS Social Contract for the AI Age.
The Social Contract for the AI Age introduced and considered the AI Assistant as a power center.
The History of AI House discussed about ChatGPT as an AI Assistant.
AI assistants are a center of power in the Social Contract for the AI age. In the AI age, ChatGPT and other AI systems have the potential to fundamentally change the way society functions and the nature of the social contract.
As a center of power, an AI Assisant can assist leaders in making decisions that affect society, such as those related to healthcare, education, and the economy. By providing data-driven insights and predictions, ChatGPT – AI Assistant can help leaders identify patterns and trends that can inform policy decisions and improve social outcomes. Additionally, ChatGPT – AI Assistant can assist in automating repetitive tasks and creating written documents, which can improve efficiency and productivity in various sectors.
However, the increasing use of AI systems also raises ethical and legal concerns, such as privacy, bias, and accountability. It is important to ensure that the Social Contract for the AI Age, fair and just, taking into account the rights and interests of all members of society.
Overall, ChatGPT as an AI assistant can be seen as a center of power in the Social Contract for the AI Age, providing valuable assistance to leaders while also raising important ethical and legal considerations. It is important to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equitably and that the rights and interests of all members of society are protected.
