[Air-L] Call for volunteers - CODI - Defining the Minimum Viable Dataset for Cultural and Linguistic Empowerment.

[Joly MacFie]

https://www.codi.global/newsroom/ensuring-cultural-representation-for-all-languages-and-communities-in-the-ai-driven-future

[Ram Mohan writes]

The Coalition on Digital Impact believes the Internet can break down
barriers, amplify unheard voices, and fuel global innovation. But we must
also recognize a growing inequity becoming more stark in the age of AI: a
lack of language representation online and in the technologies shaping our
future.

That’s why I’m thrilled to announce CODI’s first major research initiative:
Defining the Minimum Viable Dataset for Cultural and Linguistic
Empowerment. This milestone marks the beginning of our journey to ensure
everyone has a seat at the digital table, regardless of language, culture,
or geography.

‍*‍*

*Why This Initiative, and Why Now? *

AI’s benefits are only as inclusive as the data behind them. Yet most of
the world’s languages, especially Indigenous, minority, and oral-tradition
languages, remain almost invisible in digital systems. To change this
trajectory, we need to address the foundational issue: data.

That’s where our inaugural research project comes in. CODI is launching a
groundbreaking effort: the creation of a Minimum Viable Dataset (MVD) that
can serve as a foundation for culturally relevant, ethically sourced, and
community-owned digital resources.

‍

*Join Us: Call for Volunteers*

We are now forming a Working Group to guide this initiative, and I want to
personally invite experts, advocates, and community leaders to get
involved. This is an all hands on deck effort, and we are seeking
volunteers from a wide range of disciplines, including:

   - Language and cultural preservation
   - Applied ethics and digital rights
   - AI, NLP, and data science
   - Legal and IP
   - Community advocacy
   - Metadata standards, data classification, and data governance

This is a volunteer role, but one with real impact. It will help shape a
first-of-its-kind global framework to ensure communities thrive in the
digital future.

Together, this group will define what a culturally relevant dataset looks
like, establish ethical standards for data collection and use, and build a
foundation that enables multicultural AI development.

Want to be a part of it? Submit your *Expression of Interest* via this form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeql2Rb0WyNtAOb66RTTANBSkAeW-diyyXsNv9pNyjbCqFHqg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=113909869320492397211>
 before *September 29, 2025*.


-- 
--------------------------------------
Joly MacFie  +12185659365
--------------------------------------
-