Democratizing AI governance through public participation
We help communities, civil society, and public institutions test, understand, and govern AI systems in real-world contexts.
EXPLORE OUR APPROACH
AI systems increasingly shape access to services, information, and rights
Yet the people most affected are often excluded from how risks are defined, tested, and addressed, especially across Global Majority contexts where social, political, and institutional realities differ from the settings most evaluation methods are designed for.
We translate participation into action by:
Building critical AI literacy so communities and civil society can engage with AI systems on equal footing
Bringing community perspectives into evaluation and oversight
Turning findings into safeguards, decisions, and accountability pathways
Surfacing real-world harms that don't show up in internal testing
OUR APPROACH
We partner with public institutions and civil society to understand real needs and evaluate AI systems in the contexts where they are deployed, especially in public-facing services.
Critical
AI literacy
Workshops and curricula that prepare communities and practitioners to engage meaningfully and critically with AI systems and emerging technologies.
Community-led
AI red-teaming
Structured exercises that test systems against realistic scenarios, local contexts, and lived experience, powered by our purpose-built platform for red-teaming workflows and evidence capture.
Deliberation + accountability loop
Participatory forums that translate findings into choices, safeguards, governance commitments, and monitoring.
Partner with us
For Civil Society & Communities
Participate in processes that shape how AI systems work in your context. Build power through critical AI literacy.
For Public Institutions & Governments
Evaluate AI systems before launch or audit in production. Build participatory oversight that reflects the communities you serve.
For Funders & Foundations
Support participatory AI governance with measurable, traceable impact. Fund interventions grounded in community needs.
Co-design a participatory AI literacy, red-teaming, or deliberation engagement with SOMOS Civic Lab, tailored to your context and grounded in local community perspectives.
SUPPORTED BY
Ethics & TechPractitioner Fellowship
AI Accountability CoLab
AI Trust & SafetyRe-Imagination Programme
MEET THE TEAM
We build with communities and partners to translate lived experience into accountability
We're a team of researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of AI governance, public participation, and real-world evaluation.
JP Gomes
Carlos Centeno
