Singapore’s Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data convened for their inaugural meeting.
The Advisory Council brings together transnational thought leaders and industry captains from diverse backgrounds spanning the spectrum of large tech providers, users, the academia and government. Members comprise international leaders in AI such as Google, Microsoft and Alibaba; advocates of social and consumer interests; and leaders of local companies who are keen users of AI.
Council members had a robust discussion on the ethical use of AI and data. This included discussion on the paper released by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) in June 2018 on the responsible development and adoption of AI. There were many suggestions given on how to improve the draft model framework. The Advisory Council called for broader engagement and consultation of the draft model framework.
The meeting is a timely reminder of how a private-public relationship is necessary to enable the Digital Economy. A trusted AI ecosystem is critical for industries to effectively adopt innovative emerging technologies and business models, while ensuring strong consumer confidence, protection and participation. In the area of data and data-driven technologies like AI, the development of responsible practices must be informed by diverse views and a global perspective. Singapore aims to contribute to the global discourse by proposing a pragmatic governance framework that translates ethical principles into practice. An updated draft will be made available soon.
Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary said, “I am especially thankful for the attendance of a strong and diverse transnational mix of members, including tech giants, companies large and small, users, academia and government. Building a future Digital Economy with a trusted AI ecosystem is critical.”
