AI in Global Development Playbook
Executive Summary
The world is at a critical juncture as we strive for shared prosperity. The global community is on track to achieve only 17% of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with progress having plateaued or regressed in many areas. Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential to accelerate progress on sustainable development and narrow digital divides. However, its misuse could impede these goals. The United States aims to ensure equitable sharing of AI benefits globally.
President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of harnessing AI for good during his UN General Assembly remarks in September 2023. In March 2024, the US led the adoption of the first-ever standalone resolution on AI at the UN General Assembly, focusing on leveraging safe, secure, and trustworthy AI for sustainable development. The US government continues to expand work on AI solutions with global impact and local relevance, partnering with the private sector, civil society, and international partners to strengthen AI ecosystems while ensuring adequate safeguards for human rights and public safety.
Key Actions and Themes
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Enhancing Capacity and Promoting AI-Related Skills
- Objective: Strengthen AI-related skills across all sectors and levels.
- Actions: Develop training programs, collaborate with educational institutions, and promote workforce development initiatives.
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Building Trusted and Sustainable Digital Infrastructure
- Objective: Establish reliable digital infrastructure.
- Actions: Invest in high-performance computing (HPC), promote open radio access networks (Open RAN), and ensure data security and privacy.
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Broadening Access to Data Storage and Compute Resources
- Objective: Ensure equitable access to necessary resources.
- Actions: Partner with organizations like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the International Business Machines (IBM) to provide access to advanced computing facilities.
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Creating Representative, Locally Useful Datasets and Preserving Cultural Heritage
- Objective: Develop relevant and culturally appropriate datasets.
- Actions: Utilize initiatives like Mozilla Common Voice (Mozilla Common Voice) and the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila) to create representative datasets.
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Developing Strategies to Deliver the Promise of AI in Practice
- Objective: Implement AI solutions effectively.
- Actions: Develop and deploy AI solutions in healthcare, education, agriculture, energy, and public services, focusing on local contexts and needs.
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Developing Good Governance Frameworks for AI
- Objective: Ensure safe and rights-respecting AI.
- Actions: Create and enforce robust governance frameworks, including ethical guidelines and regulatory measures.
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Fostering Trust in AI Through Openness, Transparency, and Explainability
- Objective: Enhance public trust in AI technologies.
- Actions: Promote transparency in AI decision-making processes, encourage open-source software, and facilitate explainable AI solutions.
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Deploying AI for Climate Action
- Objective: Leverage AI to combat climate change.
- Actions: Utilize AI in monitoring, modeling, and predicting climate impacts, and developing climate-resilient strategies.
Case Studies
The Playbook includes case studies highlighting existing initiatives and organizations that are doing exemplary work in various areas. These case studies aim to inspire and guide others in implementing responsible AI ecosystems.
Conclusion
The Playbook serves as a roadmap to develop the necessary capacity, ecosystems, frameworks, partnerships, applications, and institutions to leverage safe, secure, and trustworthy AI for sustainable development. It emphasizes the importance of good governance measures to foster trust, which can drive innovation and adoption.
Relevance
The Playbook is particularly relevant for development practitioners, policymakers, development and philanthropic organizations, and private sector actors working in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Each stakeholder group should be aware of the benefits and risks associated with AI and play a role in building safeguards and approaches to support responsible AI ecosystems in global development.
This summary captures the main themes, key actions, and objectives outlined in the AI in Global Development Playbook, providing a clear and concise overview of the document's content.
