IPIE to Address Information Integrity at the World Economic Forum in Davos
Read The NewsJanuary 2025
The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) is set to deliver a pivotal presentation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next week. The session will focus on advancing global collaboration to tackle misinformation and promote the integrity of the digital information ecosystem.
The presentation, led by IPIE President, Philip N. Howard, will emphasize the importance of fostering cross-sector partnerships to mitigate the impacts of algorithmic bias, online manipulation, and misinformation. The event will bring together global leaders from government, technology, academia, and civil society.
“The challenges of our information environment are global in scale and urgency,” said Philip N. Howard, President of the IPIE. “At Davos, we have a unique opportunity to inspire action and create pathways for collective solutions that uphold truth and trust in our shared digital spaces.”
This marks the IPIE's first appearance at the WEF and underscores the organization’s commitment to driving dialogue and action on information integrity at the highest levels. Howard will announce the new Scientific Panel on AI and Economic Inclusion, to be chaired by Professor Jennifer Schradie of Sciences Po, and outline its mission. Howard will also brief the global audience on the progress of three current IPIE Scientific Panels:
- Global Standards for AI Audits
AI systems present significant opportunities and risks, yet their growing influence on our lives often goes unexamined due to a lack of understanding. To address this, governments and institutions are increasingly turning to AI audits, although global standards for these evaluations remain absent despite mounting demand. The IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Global Standards for AI Audits is working to establish a framework of criteria, methodologies, and expert consensus to ensure AI systems are assessed comprehensively, fostering global dialogue focused on the public good.
- Information Integrity about Climate Science
Public understanding of climate change, a critical global issue, is increasingly undermined by misinformation on social media, eroding trust in both scientific communities and political institutions. To address this, the IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Information Integrity about Climate Science reviews research on the impact of media and communication and provides actionable recommendations for policy oversight and technology design. The Scientific Panel aims to defend climate science and enhance public understanding of the evidence and policy options essential for addressing the climate crisis.
- Child Protection and Social Media
Child exploitation is a critical societal issue and has been exacerbated by the misuse of social media platforms that facilitate harmful activities. The IPIE’s Scientific Panel on Child Protection and Social Media is addressing this challenge by investigating how social media infrastructure enables child exploitation, and will offer recommendations for policy oversight and technology design to counteract these risks. Over its 12-month term, the Panel will analyze contributing factors, evaluate current strategies, and propose evidence-based solutions to protect children and dismantle exploitative information infrastructures.
Conference Details:
- Trust in the Era of AI: This session will highlight steps to foster trust in digital services in the intelligence age. The Swiss Digital Initiative will introduce the future of its pioneering Digital Trust Label, providing actionable insights for digital service providers on implementing trustworthy AI practices.
- Speakers: Dr. Philip Howard, Co-Founder, President and CEO of the International Panel on the Information Environment; Aymeric Eiverieulx, SGS; Babak Hodjat, CTO AI Cognizant; Rehana Harasgama, HSG; Nicolas Zahn, Director Swiss Digital Initiative (Moderator)
- Location: Cognizant Chalet (between Merantix and the Central Sporthotel), Promenade 68, 7270 Davos, Switzerland
- Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
- Time: 4:00 PM (Local Time)
Join us to explore how global leaders across industry, government, and civil society can collaborate to preserve truth and trust in a rapidly evolving digital world.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Press@IPIE.info.
About the IPIE
The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) is an independent and global science organization providing scientific knowledge about the health of the world's information environment. Based in Switzerland, the IPIE offers policymakers, industry, and civil society actionable scientific assessments about threats to the information environment, including AI bias, algorithmic manipulation, and disinformation. The IPIE is the only scientific body systematically organizing, evaluating, and elevating research with the broad aim of improving the global information environment. Hundreds of researchers worldwide contribute to the IPIE's reports.