OSCE PA Special Representative On AI Highlights The Need To Protect People.

Rome; February 2026: At a conference on Artificial Intelligence held this week at the University of Rome La Sapienza, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Artificial Intelligence Federica Onori (Italy) called for smart and effective governance of AI to protect people while fostering innovation. She further underscored the importance of ensuring that AI development remains aligned with democratic values and fundamental rights.

Onori emphasised in particular the need to combine regulation with growth and competitiveness. “We must not drift into a free-for-all on artificial intelligence. Rules are necessary, but they have to be smart and effective. Good governance means protecting people who are most exposed to social and economic risks while still backing innovation in a fast-moving technological environment”, said Onori.

In her remarks, Special Representative Onori highlighted the groups most affected by AI transformation: “Women, young people and workers at risk are on the front line of this transformation. AI can deepen existing inequalities, but it can also expand opportunity if supported by clear rules, algorithmic transparency and targeted public policies”. She also underlined the importance of structured dialogue between the public and private sectors, stressing that cooperation between governments, international organisations, and industry is essential to ensure responsible AI development.

Onori reiterated her mandate as OSCE PA Special Representative on Artificial Intelligence to promote parliamentary dialogue on AI governance, ethics and regulation, and to engage with stakeholders across sectors on AI policy development and implementation. The panel also featured addresses from representatives of Google, Meta, TikTok, and Treccani, Italy’s national encyclopaedia institute.

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) President Pere Joan Pons (Spain) has appointed Federica Onori (Italy) the Special Representative on Artificial Intelligence in September 2025.

Tasked with co-ordinating with relevant OSCE PA bodies and engaging with other international stakeholders, the Special Representative will track developments in artificial intelligence and propose relevant policies and guidelines to address challenges and leverage the tools provided by AI to enhance security.

Federica Onori is an Italian MP, elected to the Chamber of Deputies in October 2022. She serves as Secretary of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and is a member of the Italian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, where she also holds the role of Vice-Chair of the Young Parliamentarians Network. She is active in international initiatives, including the IMF–World Bank Global Young MP Initiative and the UNITE Parliamentary Network for Global Health. She holds a PhD in Statistics from Sapienza University of Rome and previously worked as a statistical assistant at the European Commission.

Team Maverick.