Conversation with Ms. Gabriela Ramos, former UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social Sciences: “International AI Governance and Ethics”

On June 19, 2025, the Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) hosted a comprehensive dialogue with Ms. Gabriela Ramos, former UNESCO Assistant Director General for Social Sciences on “International AI Governance and Ethics”. The event, co-organized with the Graduate School of Public Policy in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico, brought together distinguished speakers, students, and international participants for an in-depth exploration of AI’s transformative impact on society and governance.

Professor Kensuke Fukushi, Director of IFI, presented opening remarks. He emphasized the crucial role of academic institutions in AI governance. He highlighted how universities serve as independent spaces for long-term perspective, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical reflection, free from political or commercial pressures. Prof. Fukushi stressed the importance of educating future engineers, scientists, and policymakers not only in technical excellence but in ethical literacy, noting that events like this dialogue are essential for anticipating consequences and co-designing inclusive societies.

Ambassador H.E. Melba Pría of Mexico provided contextual remarks about AI’s multifaceted nature and its profound role in modern life. She emphasized how AI has become as widespread as electricity yet noted the generational divide in adaptation—while younger generations are digital natives, older generations must consciously choose how to engage with these technologies. Ambassador Pría highlighted Ms. Ramos’s extensive experience in multilateral institutions and her candidacy for UNESCO Director General, emphasizing her vision for transforming UNESCO into an organization that better serves countries and people.

Ms. Ramos’s lecture focused on reframing the AI debate, arguing that the central question is not about the technologies themselves but about the societies we want to build with them. She emphasized the critical importance of maintaining human agency in technological development, cautioning against the sense of powerlessness that often accompanies rapid technological advancement.

Ms. Ramos outlined the extraordinary pace of AI development. While electricity took 50 years to reach 25% of the U.S. population, the iPhone achieved similar penetration in just four years. Today’s generative AI systems process trillions of parameters per second, representing an exponential growth that demands careful governance frameworks to ensure the technology does not go unchecked.

Ms. Ramos identified several critical challenges requiring immediate attention. First, the global digital divide remains stark, with one-third of the world still lacking stable internet access while 80% of AI development occurs in just a few countries—primarily the United States, China, Japan, and Korea. This concentration creates risks of technological dependency and cultural homogenization.

Second, addressing concerns about AI’s impact on employment, Ms. Ramos emphasized that the challenge lies not in the technology itself but in preparing institutions and workers to adapt effectively. Rather than thinking about the jobs that will be lost, focus should be on the tasks that AI can perform and how to anticipate changes.

Third, the issue of bias and discrimination emerged as particularly concerning. An example from the Netherlands depicted how an algorithm designed to prevent social benefit fraud systematically discriminated against people with migrant backgrounds, resulting in families losing homes and children being unable to attend school. Similarly, recruitment algorithms from major tech companies have shown systematic bias against women candidates and generally, there is a lack of women in AI research and business sectors.

Lastly, language preservation represents another critical challenge. While major languages like Japanese, English, and Spanish receive substantial AI development investment, smaller languages like Icelandic or Swahili risk being marginalized. This concern extends beyond mere communication—language embodies cultural interpretations of the world, and AI systems developed primarily in dominant languages may inadvertently prioritize certain values and worldviews.

Addressing these challenges requires robust regulatory frameworks. Ms. Ramos challenged the false dilemma between innovation and regulation, pointing to the pharmaceutical sector as the most regulated yet most innovative industry. One framework is UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which was adopted by 194 member states and aligns AI development with topics such as human rights, social justice, gender equality, and the rule of law. The recommendation emphasizes that protections existing in the offline world—such as privacy rights—should extend to digital spaces.

The UNESCO framework includes a diagnostic tool called the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), now implemented in 70 countries worldwide. Rather than imposing one-size-fits-all solutions, RAM asks countries to define their vision for AI development based on their specific needs, cultural contexts, and development paths. This approach recognizes that Japan’s AI needs differ significantly from those of Kenya or Mexico.

The skills needed for the AI age extend beyond technical knowledge and include critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and the ability to distinguish between human and machine-generated content. Educational institutions must evolve to provide interdisciplinary training that combines technical expertise with humanities perspectives. Ms. Ramos closed her lecture emphasizing that it is in our hands to shape the evolution of the technological revolution and urged everyone to make sure their voices are heard in the discussion.

The event featured an extensive discussion with five University of Tokyo students, with each student bringing unique perspectives from their respective fields—geopolitics, engineering and law, public policy, and international development. Questions surrounded deepfakes and their potential to erode trust and paradoxically strengthen analytical skills, gaps between technical prowess and ethical reasoning, the role of AI in private matters, and the democratization of knowledge through AI.

Ms. Ramos stressed several key priorities in her responses. She called for clear labeling of AI-generated content to help people identify deepfakes and other forms of misinformation. She also warned against the risks of psychological dependency and manipulation that could arise from overly human-like AI systems. Though no international regulations currently exist, she argued that governments have a responsibility to protect citizens and establish frameworks for how people interact with AI technology.

On education, Ms. Ramos advocated for an interdisciplinary approach that combines technical training with philosophy and ethics. She emphasized the importance of developing “Renaissance humans” who possess diverse capabilities rather than narrow specialization. She also proposed that new policy frameworks should encourage government investment in universities, helping institutions anticipate market changes and better guide students in their academic choices.

Professor Hidetoshi Nishimura, Supreme Advisor to the President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) provided a thought-provoking philosophical commentary on “semantic generation” in the AI age. He argued that while physical labor and information processing can be automated, the uniquely human capacity to generate meaning and create value frameworks remains irreplaceable.

Prof. Nishimura suggested that AI systems are best understood as “disciples” whose outputs depend entirely on the depth and insight of their human collaborators. This “systemic personality” emerges from the collaboration between human wisdom and artificial intelligence, making the development of thoughtful, ethically grounded human personalities more crucial than ever.

In an open question opportunity, when prompted on international careers, Ms. Ramos shared personal insights about finding purpose rather than pursuing predetermined paths—she never initially planned to work in multilateral institutions but was guided by her passion for social justice. She reiterated that AI governance requires unprecedented international cooperation combined with respect for local contexts and values. The goal is not to resist technological advancement but to ensure that human agency guides its development toward more inclusive, sustainable, and just societies.

Closing remarks were given by Professor Ichiro Sakata, Special Advisor to the President of the University of Tokyo, who recognized the university’s commitment to contributing to international rulemaking and the importance of developing younger generations capable of contributing to global governance frameworks.

[Upper Column] From left, Prof. Fukushi, Ambassador Pría, Ms. Ramos, Prof. Sakata
[Lower Column] Dialogue Session between Ms. Ramos, Prof. Nishimura (center), and UTokyo Student Panelists