September 13, 2024 – Zurich, Switzerland – As AI bias, climate misinformation, and online risks to children increase, the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) will host an official event at the UN during the Summit of the Future.  

Truth, Trust, and Hope in the Global Information Environment will take place on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at UN Headquarters in New York.  

The event brings together global leaders, scientists, and civil society to address information integrity. Experts will present findings on AI transparency and the impact of climate misinformation. With AI driving the spread of deepfakes and false narratives, there is a growing concern that unchecked AI could erode public trust and destabilize societies.  

“We are at a crucial moment for society and the global information environment,” said IPIE President, Professor Philip Howard. “With global cooperation, we can prevent information technologies from degrading our ability to solve collective problems. Information integrity is essential for defending all other rights.”  

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AI Bias and Climate Misinformation in Focus  

Co-chaired by Dr. Anna Sjöström Douagi, acting head of the Nobel Foundation and IPIE Trustee, and Ms. Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the event is supported by several UN Member States and key UN departments.  

The IPIE scientific panels will focus on enhancing AI transparency and the integrity of climate-related information.  

“As AI becomes more embedded in daily life, it must uphold human rights and accountability,” said Professor Wendy Chun, Chair of IPIE’s Scientific Panel on AI Audits. “This event is an opportunity to set global standards and counter AI misuse.”  

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A Call to Action for Information Integrity

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for coordinated international action to curb the spread of misinformation and hate speech. “At a time when billions of people are exposed to false narratives and lies, these principles lay out a clear path forward, rooted in human rights,” said Guterres. “We need governments, tech companies, and civil society to step up and take responsibility.”

The event will discuss the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity, addressing how these principles can support democracy and climate action.

“Climate misinformation isn’t just theoretical—it delays vital action,” said Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen, an expert in climate science information. “Our ability to combat climate change hinges on reliable, science-based information.”  

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Expert Briefing: Trust and Resilience in the Information Environment

Following the UN event, IPIE will host a half-day briefing on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. Titled Trust and Resilience in the Global Information Environment, the session will present insights from the IPIE’s Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment.  

IPIE will also announce new scientific panels, one on Child Protection and Social Media, and another on AI and Peacebuilding, with commentary from Safe Online, WHO, and UNDP colleagues.

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Event Details

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UN Panel on Truth, Trust, and Hope in the Global Information Environment:

• Saturday, September 21, 2024, 11:15 am to 12:30 pm at UN Headquarters (CR3).  

• A UN grounds pass or Special Event Ticket is required.

• The event will be broadcast on UN TV.

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Expert Briefing on Trust and Resilience in the Global Information Environment:  

About the Event:

The Secretary-General of the United Nations is convening the Summit of the Future Action Days on 20 and 21 September 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In parallel to the Action Days, a limited number of high-level side events will take place. The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), together with UN Member States Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, and Switzerland and the UN Department of Global Communications, UN Department of Peace Operations, and UNDP’s Human Development Reports Office, will host one of these official side events.

The event will seek to enact the vision of the UN Pact for the Future and its Global Digital Compact and put into practice the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity. The IPIE and partners will discuss global trends in artificial intelligence and social media, and how to advance human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with information integrity. The event will feature fresh new findings from the IPIE on how information integrity is a necessary condition for advancing digital accountability, human rights, and the SDGs, with content on (a) setting global standards for AI auditing and (b) improving information integrity about climate science. After a review of IPIE findings, a small panel of experts from industry and civil society will offer remarks, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

Event Co-Chairs:

• Dr. Anna Sjöström Douagi, Acting CEO of the Nobel Foundation and IPIE Trustee
• Ms. Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications

Presenters:

• Professor Wendy Chun,  IPIE Chair of Scientific Panel on Scientific Panel on Global Standards for AI Audits
• Professor Phil Howard, IPIE President
• Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen, IPIE Chair of Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. João Brant, Secretary of Digital Policies at the Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil
• Mr. John Momoh, Chairman and CEO of Channels TV and IPIE Trustee
• Dr. Selcan Kaynak, IPIE Chair of Scientific Panel on Child Protection and Social Media
• Dr. David Spergel, President of the Simons Foundation

How to Attend:

To access the UN headquarters for this event and other UN Action Days side events, you will need either a) a pre-existing UN grounds pass or b) to register for a Special Event Ticket to the Summit of the Future Action Days (https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future/action-days).

The event will also be broadcast on UN WebTV at this link.