WASHINGTON/BRASILIA — The 91快活林 (91快活林) and the Competitive Brazil Movement (MBC) recently partnered on a virtual roundtable discussion titled, “Global Considerations for the Development of a National AI Strategy in Brazil.” The event brought together tech industry representatives, civil society partners, academics, and members of the Brazilian government to share important insights, experiences, and considerations for advancing AI technology and thoughtful policy development in Brazil, especially as the country addresses the COVID-19 crisis.
The roundtable discussion focused on AI policy, governance, and use cases, especially related to healthcare and the response to COVID-19. Participants emphasized the global nature of AI technologies, and how important it is that regulatory frameworks are harmonized across borders so that data, the driver of all AI, can flourish responsibly.
“This conversation offered an important opportunity to find parallels between global approaches to AI, and understand how smart policy frameworks can enable or inhibit growth and adoption of these technologies in Brazil, including how we can use the technology to mitigate the spread of the virus,” said Ashley Friedman, who co-moderated the event with MBC Executive Director Tatiana Ribeiro. “There is a real opportunity for Brazil to build on its strategic innovation agenda, including its focus on data protection, Internet of Things, and digital transformation, to be a global leader in innovative technologies and policies now and in the future.”
Tatiana Ribeiro pointed out how AI and technology can be solutions to deal with the global coronavirus pandemic. “MBC is working with the Brazilian government to develop solutions that can analyze the impacts of the crisis and help them make better decisions" she said.
Participants, which included representatives from government and industry, agreed to continue the dialogue in Brazil as the government continues to advance this important topic.
“As we move into data driven economy, it is very clear how strategic it is for countries to develop their capabilities in this field,” said Miriam Wimmer, Director for Technology Policy at the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Communications. “We appreciate the dialogue with industry to identify where Brazil can make strides in enabling this innovation.”
Congressman Eduardo Bismark, who introduced legislation on a framework for AI principles in Brazil’s Congress, noted, “It is important to discuss [artificial intelligence policy] with key players to understand its implications in various areas, for example, in sustainable development, policy making, and public health, as we are witnessing right now with the coronavirus pandemic.”
Mario Romao, Director of AI Policy for Intel, spoke about the fact that with more than 40 economies developing AI policy frameworks, it is important for global harmonization to enable global technologies to flourish. “Brazil already joined neighbors in the Hemisphere and around the world in signing onto the OECD AI principles, helping to ensure that countries work together to establish a global framework for AI policy.”
“When governments think about innovation, they often think about technological innovation, said Norberto Andrade, Global Policy Lead for Digital and AI Ethics at Facebook. “AI policy is a great opportunity for governments to also engage in regulatory innovation, creating flexible and evidence-based frameworks supported by regulatory sandboxes and policy prototyping programs.”
“AI use cases are all around us, and they depend on governments and other stakeholders placing value on data sets, explainability, and flexible policies,” said Fernanda Viegas, AI Scientist for Google Brain. “Governments have a real role in fostering the right environment for enabling AI success.”