108 small nations band together to share AI lessons globally

A playbook has been released to provide a platform on which small nations around the world can exchange lessons about their adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). 

The AI Playbook for Small States aims to “shape inclusive global discourse” by gathering best practices from these nations and offering resources on how to best leverage the potential of AI, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said in a statement on Sunday. 

Developed by IMDA in collaboration with Rwanda’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation, the playbook pools feedback from members of the Digital Forum of Small States (FOSS) on their experiences with AI deployment and adoption. This includes factors such as AI governance and safety as well as the technology’s impact on society. 

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“Given the rapidly evolving nature of AI, the playbook is shaped as a living document that continuously pulls together the collective experiences and strategies from small states,” IMDA explained. 

It also aims to align with the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals and offer a platform to facilitate “inclusive” discussions on issues, such as AI. 

FOSS was established in 1992 to give voice to small states, which often share similar concerns and interests due partly to their population size, and geographical and economic circumstances. The group currently comprises 108 nations and chapters in Vienna, London, Geneva, and New York. 

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It also introduced Digital FOSS in October 2022, currently chaired by Singapore to drive discussions around the development and use of digital technologies. 

The AI Playbook represents this community’s efforts in leveraging AI for the public good and enables its members to share resources and build capacity, amid constraints commonly shared by individual small states, IMDA said. 

The document highlights four key areas, such as building a trusted environment, human resources, and AI development. For instance, it features Finland’s digital transformation initiatives that encompass the use of AI across multiple areas, including training and public services. 

Such efforts include the Ministry of Transport and Communications plans to tap generative AI (gen AI)  to improve the efficiency of legislative drafting. The pilot project ran in the first half of 2024, using only Finnish large language models, the EU Data Act, and other related legislation as test material. 

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The playbook also looks at a framework to mitigate risks associated with AI and build trust around its use. It offers governance principles to consider, including factors within and outside the development lifecycle of AI models, such as training data and user accountability. 

According to the playbook, such frameworks can guide governments to develop targeted interventions and help prioritize efforts. Also pointing to the need for practical tools to help nations ensure AI systems are safe for deployment and use. This should also include testing and the evaluation of such systems to identify gaps that need to be plugged. 

“However, testing can be expensive and challenging for businesses to implement,” the playbook states. “Open source testing resources and toolkits help to lower the barriers to entry for end-users, particularly in terms of cost. [These resources also] facilitate access and reduce friction, especially when integrating different testing frameworks and methodologies in a single product.”

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“We can also form communities of practice among industry players to support discussions regarding testing and evaluations to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing of best practices,”  the playbook further adds. 

The playbook references Singapore’s Model Governance Framework for Generative AI as a guide to address potential risks across the AI development lifecycle, including post-deployment incident reporting, third-party testing and assurance, and content provenance.

“Small states often lack key capabilities such as high-performance computing or cutting-edge R&D capabilities,” said Estonia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. “By collaborating with other countries and the private sector and ensuring that what we create is open-source and reusable across borders and sectors, we can effectively build an AI-powered society.”

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“There is a noticeable disparity between small countries regarding the extent of progress made in the field of AI and related sectors and technologies, and there are several reasons for this disparity, including finance, experience, and culture,” added Hamza Ammar Maatoq, Libya’s head of spectrum system unit for General Authority of Communications and Informatics. 

“While countries continue to make broad and rapid leaps in this regard and look forward to global competition and competing with the big ones in the future, other countries are still feeling their way in this context, and it seems that there are different attempts and a clear desire from some small countries to develop their capabilities in the field of AI.”

Furthermore, Ammar urged for collaboration between countries that have made progress in AI and those that are still lagging, either through individuals, institutions, or major enterprises.