This research explores the challenges CSOs face in AI governance, focusing on the EU’s AI Act and the Council of Europe’s AI Convention. CSOs encounter technical, financial, and institutional barriers, limiting their participation despite formal mechanisms. They can influence policy indirectly through advocacy. Recommendations include making discussions accessible, fostering inclusivity, and improving institutional frameworks to balance power dynamics with big tech. The study calls for new frameworks to better assess CSO involvement, using qualitative data from interviews with CSO actors.