7th OECD World Forum on Well-Being

The rapid advancement of digital technology, and particularly the development and widespread use of artificial intelligence, is already having a profound impact on people’s lives at the individual and societal level. The way people work, play, interact, communicate, consume, find information, and access services, are all increasingly shaped by digital and AI technology, bringing both opportunities and risks for inclusive, sustainable, well-being. Digital and AI tools have many actual and potential applications to improve life conditions, support climate action, reduce inequalities and boost social inclusion of vulnerable or marginalised groups such as young people, the elderly, or people with disabilities. However, the expansion of digital and AI technology touches on many areas that could negatively impact well-being outcomes, including data privacy, freedom of expression, trustworthiness of information, personal agency, creative integrity, social exclusion, experience of bias and discrimination, and social interaction. If not developed in a safe, ethical, and inclusive manner that centres people’s current and future well-being, the AI and digital revolution risks exacerbating existing inequalities, vulnerabilities, and divisions.

The Forum will explore the implications of AI development, and of digital transformation more broadly, for inclusive and sustainable well-being. It will address multiple perspectives on how cutting-edge technologies can be harnessed to create a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future for all, in a safe, ethical and inclusive manner, and explore both the positive and negative scenarios, as well as the implications for the development, management, and use of data. It will also explore the need for greater collaboration across the public and private sectors to centre well-being in the digital transformation.

Related sessions

More information on relevant Forum sessions and speakers will be added as details are confirmed. Provisional example sessions related to this theme include:

• Plenary Roundtable on “Harnessing technology and artificial intelligence for inclusive, sustainable well-being”
• Parallel session on “Ensuring safe, fair and inclusive AI development”
• Parallel session on “AI applications for improving well-being: examples and key issues”
• Parallel session on “Monitoring and predicting well-being outcomes with machine learning”