Building a More Multilingual Internet: Celebrating CODI’s First Year

A look at what we've learned, who we've partnered with, and where we're headed

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• Launched the coalition with 18 members across the Internet governance, AI, linguist and digital equity sectors, and kept growing, welcoming CLEAR Global, eduCYBER, Gooey.AI, Global Voices, and PIVOT in year one
• Completed groundbreaking research on what makes AI datasets culturally relevant and ethically sourced, with findings dropping this summer
• Amplified expert voices on multilingualism and digital access through CODI Signals
• Heard directly from last-mile communities around the world through our global survey, with a full report coming later this year
• Coming up: celebrate with us at Universal Acceptance Day on May 28, alongside ICANN and UNESCO

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One year ago, we launched the Coalition on Digital Impact (CODI) with a simple conviction: language should never be a barrier to accessing knowledge, connecting with others, or participating in the digital age. Today, we're proud to mark that anniversary and reflect on what the CODI community has built together.

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Collaboration is Key

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Building a global network takes time. In year one, we focused on getting the right partners in the room.

CODI was created to bring together organizations dedicated to advancing digital access and cultural and linguistic representation. Over the past year, we welcomed five new members from across the globe: CLEAR Global, eduCYBER, Gooey.AI, Global Voices and PIVOT.

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We also went deeper on the research side. 

Through the Working Group on Defining the Minimum Viable Dataset for Cultural and Linguistic Empowerment, a group of linguists and experts spent six months identifying what makes an AI dataset culturally relevant, ethically sourced, and reflective of diverse perspectives and lived experiences. Their findings are expected this summer, along with tools for communities to assess their own readiness.

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Listening is Essential for Real Change

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We can't build for communities we haven't heard from. 

CODI's Global Web survey asked last-mile and community-based organizations to share how they are working to make the Internet more accessible and multilingual. Those insights will be published in a comprehensive report later this year.

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We also launched CODI Signals, a new expert series. 

Our first edition explored what last-mile organizations actually need. Our second asked who is responsible for making sure all languages work well with AI, and what happens if they don't.

This ongoing listening has helped us understand what truly needs to be done to make every oral, written, and signed language available online.

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Looking Ahead

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Our second year starts with a milestone event.

Join us on May 28 for CODI's Universal Acceptance Day celebration, hosted in collaboration with ICANN and UNESCO. The event will explore how Universal Acceptance, language infrastructure, and inclusive data practices together enable meaningful participation in the digital world. Register today.

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Universal digital access won't happen overnight, and it won't happen without global cooperation. We look forward to the partnerships, insights, and progress still to come as we work together to build a truly multilingual Internet.