The IBA has announced the launch of the International Bar Association (IBA) Artificial Intelligence Institute (IBA AI Institute) - a new initiative dedicated to influencing and promoting the development of responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance through international cooperation and interdisciplinary expertise in alignment with the rule of law and fundamental principles of justice. Dr Farzana Dudhwala will serve as the first Director of the Institute.
Established under the leadership of former IBA President Jaime Carey and the current IBA President Claudio Visco, the Institute will leverage the IBA's global network of more than 80,000 lawyers and 190 bar associations and law societies spanning all continents to help address the legal, societal, economic and democratic challenges presented by rapidly advancing AI technologies.
The Institute will focus on promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, recognising that the challenges and opportunities presented by AI extend far beyond the legal profession. It will actively engage with diverse stakeholders including technologists, international organisations, governments, policymakers, civil society, research institutions and industry leaders.
Furthermore, the Institute will seek to contribute legal expertise and perspectives to existing international and multi-stakeholder AI forums and initiatives, helping to inform the development of practical, human-instituted, human-centred and globally inclusive AI governance frameworks.
As governments and institutions worldwide grapple with questions surrounding frontier AI systems, algorithmic accountability, access to justice, democratic resilience, privacy, intellectual property, labour transformation and cross-border regulatory coordination, the IBA AI Institute aims to become a leading international forum for practical and principled engagement on AI governance.
The IBA believes that perspectives from underrepresented jurisdictions should be meaningfully represented in global AI discussions. The IBA AI Institute will support dialogue and capacity-building initiatives designed to reduce governance inequalities between regions and help ensure that AI governance frameworks reflect diverse legal traditions, economic realities and societal needs.
The Institute's aims are to:
- contribute expertise from the legal profession to the global dialogue on AI;
- support the shaping of future AI governance frameworks;
- promote the development of AI systems consistent with the rule of law, human rights and democratic integrity;
- promote the development of AI systems consistent with the rule of law, human rights and democratic integrity;
- support the work of international organisations.
In a joint statement, Jaime Carey and Claudio Visco stated: 'The development of artificial intelligence will profoundly shape economies, societies, democratic institutions and the administration of justice for generations to come. Although the legal profession has an essential role to play, we recognise that no single profession, sector, company or country can address these challenges alone.
'The IBA AI Institute is being established as a truly global and interdisciplinary initiative to bring together expertise from law, technology, public policy, academia, civil society, and industry to help ensure that AI development remains aligned with human rights and ethical and democratic values, the rule of law and the public interest. The IBA will have a bifurcated approach with many IBA Committees already working independently to provide guidance, as relative to their practice area, to ensure AI technology benefits the legal profession and society, while advocating for rules that keep pace with technological advancements. This work will not stop and will be separate from that of the Institute.
'We think it is particularly important that under-represented countries and communities are active participants in shaping the future of AI governance, rather than simply inheriting frameworks developed elsewhere. Inclusive global dialogue and cooperation will be essential to ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared broadly and responsibly, which will be a central aim of the Institute.
'At this pivotal moment in the history of technological innovation, we welcome Dr Farzana Dudhwala to the IBA AI Institute to steer this fresh venture of the IBA.'
Dr Mark Ellis, IBA Executive Director, said: 'Artificial intelligence is one of the defining issues of our time and we stand at the intersection of it and law. A multi-layered journey lies ahead. With the establishment of the IBA AI Institute we aim to work, in collaboration with other entities, towards ensuring AI serves humanity fairly, safely and inclusively. It is clear that the pace at which AI is developing calls for organisations that can connect legal systems, businesses and societies. This is exactly what the Institute is designed to do. In this respect, I cannot think of a better appointment than Dr Farzana Dudhwala, with her cutting-edge expertise, to help guide the IBA's work.'
The founding Director of the Institute, Dr Farzana Dudhwala, brings more than 15 years of experience working on AI policy, governance and societal impacts across academia, government and industry. Her most recent role was as Global AI Policy & Governance Lead at Meta, where she led work relating to frontier AI safety policy, evaluations and benchmarking, international AI governance, global AI summits and policy development for Meta's Fundamental AI Research organisation. Previously she worked for the United Kingdom government on AI strategy at the Government Office for Artificial Intelligence and later led the AI Futures team within the UK government's Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford focused on AI and data-driven technologies and their societal impacts.
Of her appointment Dr Dudhwala said: 'The development and deployment of AI systems and tools are already having profound impacts on the lives of people from across all regions of the world, as well as on the planet itself. Whilst there is great promise in many of these technologies to change people and the planet for the better, this is not a given. Incoherent or outdated rules, as well as gaps in governance and accountability measures, can stymie positive innovation and adoption of these technologies, as well as fail to protect those that need it and hold the right actors to account.
'AI governance is therefore one of the defining challenges of our time - shaping not only how these technologies are built, but who benefits, who bears the risks and whether the rule of law keeps pace with the speed of change. The legal profession has a unique perspective to bring to this work: a rigorous understanding of where existing frameworks will hold, where they will fracture and what new structures are needed. The IBA's exceptional global reach makes it uniquely placed not just to observe these questions, but to convene the cross-border dialogue that can help to resolve them.
'Just as human rights law emerged 80 years ago and grew into a powerful force for fairness, justice and stronger protections, AI governance will be shaped through continuous evolution and refinement. The IBA AI Institute is committed to driving that progress and I am delighted to be stepping into this role to help bring the IBA's expertise to bear where it can make the greatest impact.'
The International Bar Association Artificial Intelligence Institute was launched on Monday 8 June 2026.
