National and International AI Strategies Around the World Towards 2020
Learning About Strategies and Building on the Work of the Future of Life Institute
On the 20th of December I hit 200 days writing about artificial intelligence as part of my personal challenge #500daysofAI. The focus within this has been at understanding basic concepts; then on AI safety; thereafter the climate crisis and artificial intelligence; and now AI strategies around the world.
One of my favourite sources to get an overview of AI Strategies is the list by the Future of Life Institute curated by amongst other Jessica Cussins Newman. Since I write one new article about artificial intelligence every day I thought it would be great to go through as many national and international strategies as I can the next 100 days.
For me I think the list built by the Future of Life Institute (FLI) is helpful, yet I want to go through the individual strategies individually to try to understand and summarise these. Perhaps later towards the other days I may be able to compare more closely.
FLI has made a list and I thought I would use this as a starting point and add more. I have reproduced the list underneath as it serves to help navigate. At least if one does not delve into the specifics one can have an overview of actors that seek to understand. I retrieved this list on the 22nd of December 2019.
FLI List of International Strategies
- European Union: There is a European AI Alliance that has established an overarching approach to AI and an agreement to cooperate among European countries.
- Nordic-Baltic Region: Ministers from the Nordic-Baltic region issued a declaration of collaboration on AI.
- United Nations: The UN has numerous ongoing initiatives related to AI including providing guidance on data privacy and on autonomous weapons.
- AI Agreement Between UAE and India: The UAE Minister for AI and Invest India signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a partnership.
- International Study Group of Artificial Intelligence: France and Canada are developing a task force to make recommendations on the scope and implementation of the international study group.
- Charlevoix Common Vision for the Future of Artificial Intelligence: Leaders of the G7 agreed to a shared set of commitments for AI in Charlevoix, Canada.
FLI List of National Strategies
- Argentina: The Argentinian ministry of education, culture, science and technology is developing a national AI plan.
- Australia: Australia has dedicated $29.9 million in the country’s annual budget to promote and guide the development of AI.
- Austria: Austria has an advisory Robot Council that is developing a national AI strategy.
- Brazil: Brazil is creating eight AI laboratories and has adopted the OECD AI Principles.
- Canada: Canada has a national AI strategy called the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
- Chile: Chile created an expert committee that is developing a National AI Policy.
- China: China has a national AI strategy, defined under the “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan.”
- Denmark: Denmark has a digital strategy that includes a focus on AI along with other technologies.
- Estonia: Estonia is developing a legal framework for the use of AI in its country, including a bill on AI liability.
- Finland: Finland has an Artificial Intelligence Programme guided by a steering group under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
- France: France has a national strategy for AI called “AI for Humanity,” which is outlined in the “Villani Report”.
- Germany: The German Government adopted its Artificial Intelligence Strategy in November 2018.
- India: India defined a national policy on AI in a working paper titled, “National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence #AIforAll.”
- Ireland: The Irish government has hosted AI workshops and launched a national AI Masters program.
- Italy: Italy has an interdisciplinary AI Task Force launched by the Agency for Digital Italy.
- Japan: Japan has an “Artificial Intelligence Technology Strategy” and has also included AI in its “integrated innovation strategy.”
- Kenya: The Kenyan government created a Blockchain & Artificial Intelligence task force.
- Lithuania: The Lithuanian Artificial Intelligence Strategy was released April 2019.
- Malaysia: The Malaysian government is developing a National Artificial Intelligence Framework, and establishing Digital Transformation Labs.
- Mexico: The Mexican government supported the creation of the white paper, “Towards an AI Strategy in Mexico: Harnessing the AI Revolution.”
- New Zealand: New Zealand has an AI Forum to connect and advance the country’s AI ecosystem.
- Russia: The President of the Russian Federation released a national AI strategy in October 2019.
- Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia was the first country to grant citizenship to a robot.
- Singapore: Singapore launched a National AI Strategy in November 2019 and has a national AI program called AI Singapore.
- South Korea: South Korea has an Artificial Intelligence Information Industry Development Strategy.
- Spain: Spain published an AI RDI strategy March 2019.
- Sweden: The Swedish government has released a “National Approach for Artificial Intelligence.”
- Tunisia: Tunisia has created an AI Task Force and Steering Committee to develop a national AI strategy.
- United Arab Emirates: The UAE has a national strategy for AI and was the first country to name an AI Minister.
- United States of America: The US launched the American AI Initiative February 2019.
- United Kingdom: The UK government launched a Sector Deal for AI to advance the UK’s ambitions in AI consistent with its Industrial Strategy, and taking into account the advice of the Parliament’s Select Committee on AI.
- Uruguay: Uruguay’s industry, mining and energy ministry launched a public consultation of Artificial Intelligence for the Digital Government in April 2019 and is developing a strategy based upon its findings.
HolonIQ
They mapped 35 AI strategies from around the world representing 90%+ of Global GDP to frame their AI and Global Education Report.
OECD overview of AI Strategies
Another overview is from OECD that I retrieved from the Observatory of Public Sector Innovation.
Summarised
In short it can be said that there is a wide range of priorities within the strategies around the world. There is a great deal of strategy by governments and thus policy will be developed and enacted. This happens either within general digital strategies and/or specifically through strategies addressing artificial intelligence in specific.
This is #500daysofAI and you are reading article 201. I write one new article about or related to artificial intelligence every day for 500 days.
