As artificial intelligence becomes part of everything from education and health care to public services and the workplace, policymakers around the world are confronting a basic question. Who will benefit from it, and who could be left behind? Policy student Diana Nalyvanna spent two weeks this summer at the United Nations in Geneva examining those questions and other challenges surrounding AI. But amid discussions about the technology’s rapid growth, Nalyvanna kept coming back to the 2.2 billion people around the world who are still offline.
Nalyvanna was one of 56 graduate students selected from more than 1,100 applicants for the 64th UN Graduate Study Programme, the longest-running educational UN initiative, held June 29 to July 10 at the Palais des Nations. Participants represented 42 nationalities, with Nalyvanna the only participant representing both the University of Maryland and Ukraine.
This year’s theme, “AI and Emerging Technologies: Realities, Risks and Opportunities,” was an especially good fit for Nalyvanna, whose academic and professional interests center on technology policy and international development. “The policy implication is that connectivity must be treated as part of AI policy, not as a separate issue,” said Nalyvanna. “Policymakers should invest in affordable broadband, electricity, devices, digital and AI literacy, and accessible local-language tools.”
Over more than 15 sessions, participants examined questions governments are already facing as AI develops. They discussed whether AI should play a role in high-stakes decisions, how much human judgment should remain involved and which aspects of AI governments should regulate. The program also explored growing competition among countries for the technology and resources needed to develop AI.
Nalyvanna also learned how differently governments are responding to AI. The European Union has adopted broad, legally binding regulations based largely on the level of risk, while China has focused more heavily on content controls and national security. The United States has generally favored a more market-driven approach. International organizations are also working to develop shared principles, although many of those efforts are voluntary and many countries remain outside global AI governance initiatives.
This is when cross-border AI governance stopped feeling like an abstract, textbook issue to me. A single policy cannot realistically apply everywhere when people are starting from such different positions — in infrastructure, resources and stakes.Diana Nalyvanna
Talking with participants from around the world gave Nalyvanna another perspective on those differences. Some came from countries where policymakers are debating issues such as algorithmic bias or how quickly AI should be regulated. Others came from places where reliable electricity and internet access remain pressing concerns. “This is when cross-border AI governance stopped feeling like an abstract, textbook issue to me,” said Nalyvanna. “A single policy cannot realistically apply everywhere when people are starting from such different positions — in infrastructure, resources and stakes.”
Nalyvanna also examined how AI affects young people through a research project with the International Telecommunication Union and the UN Youth Office. She joined a working group studying the implications of AI and emerging technologies for youth well-being. The group considered what AI could mean for young people, both good and bad. New tools could expand access to mental health resources, personalize education and encourage civic participation. But they also examined concerns including privacy violations, misinformation, emotional dependence on AI companions and AI-enabled harassment.
Their recommendations included AI literacy and digital skills, meaningful participation by young people in decisions about technology and stronger protections around privacy and safety. “The experience left me convinced that AI policy is, at its core, a well-being question,” said Nalyvanna, “and that young people need a seat at the table shaping the technologies already shaping their lives.”
Beyond the research, Nalyvanna visited CERN, attended the AI for Good Summit and participated in a debate at the World Summit on the Information Society Forum. She also met diplomats, UN officials and experts working on emerging technology issues. Her public policy coursework helped prepare her for those conversations. Associate Research Professor Charles Harry’s “Policy Implications of AI” individual course showed her how AI is affecting policy areas including education, health, national security, economic development and governance. In a course with Associate Professor Catherine Worsnop, Nalyvanna studied collective-action problems in international affairs and began thinking about how those same challenges apply to international AI governance.
The experience in Geneva has also helped shape what Nalyvanna wants to pursue next. This fall, she is continuing her studies through an AI and Society course at UMD’s Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland. She hopes to continue exploring youth well-being and child safety, privacy, digital literacy and young people’s role in technology governance.
Professionally, Nalyvanna hopes to build a career that combines her interests in technology policy, international development and international cooperation. She is particularly interested in helping governments, technology companies and international organizations build partnerships that can turn discussions about AI governance and digital inclusion into practical programs. Her experience in Geneva showed her how complicated that work can be, but it also reinforced why she wants to be part of it.
