HIIG brings European research expertise to global AI capacity-building

Berlin, 6 July 2026 — On the nomination of the Federal Foreign Office, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) has been admitted as the first German member of the “Global Network of Centres for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building (AI CDN)” . The network was formally launched in Geneva on 5 July 2026, on the margins of the “United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance“. It brings together primarily universities, research centres and civil-society organisations from more than 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Accompanied by the United Nations, the network provides a platform to strengthen the international development of AI capacities and help close a widening global divide.

Whilst some countries already have a high self-assessed level of AI development, many others are still working to build the technical foundations, data infrastructure, skilled workforce and national AI capacities they need, and to make themselves heard in international debates. For this reason, network members pool their expertise, computing capacity, datasets, models and training resources to learn from one another and mutually strengthen their capabilities. Capacity-building, in this sense, means more than technical infrastructure. It also encompasses the laws, agreements and structures that enable a responsible and societally beneficial use of these technologies.

In this early, constitutive phase, HIIG is contributing to the development of the network, including the establishment of structures, governance processes and collaborations between individual members. As Germany’s representative, HIIG shares its scholarly expertise on various aspects of capacity-building with other countries in the network. This takes place through a multi-stakeholder process organised and moderated by regional partners with knowledge of local contexts. HIIG also trains local experts to independently and systematically assess the impact of AI applications on the common good and sustainable development.

“It is a great honour that the Federal Foreign Office has nominated the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society as the first German member of the AI CDN. Science has an important role to play in international cooperation on AI development and governance. It can contextualise societal developments, identify options for action, and bring knowledge together across national borders. We see capacity-building in this field as a unique opportunity for mutual learning between all participating countries and institutions in the network,” says Theresa Züger, Head of Research at HIIG.

Press Contact

Frederik Efferenn | Tel. +49 30 200 760 82 | presse@hiig.de

The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG)

The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) researches the development of the internet from a societal perspective to better understand the digitalisation of all areas of life. As Germany’s first research institute focused on Internet and Society, HIIG emphasises embedding digital innovations within social processes. Based on its interdisciplinary expertise and as part of the Global Network of Interdisciplinary Internet & Society Research Centers, HIIG seeks to develop a European response to the challenges of digital transformation.