G20 leaders call for global governance for AI, inclusive digital public infra for service delivery

Recognising the role of DPI in the delivery of services at a societal scale, the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration welcomed the ‘G20 Framework for systems of Digital Public Infrastructure’, a voluntary and suggested framework for the development, deployment and governance of DPI.

The G20 declaration asserted that safe, secure, trusted, accountable and inclusive digital public infrastructure (DPI), respectful of human rights, personal data, privacy and intellectual property rights can foster resilience, and enable service delivery and innovation.

The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration also draws attention to building safety, security, resilience, and trust in the Digital Economy.

“To this end…we welcome the G20 Framework for Systems of Digital Public Infrastructure, a voluntary and suggested framework for the development, deployment and governance of DPI,” it said.

The Declaration talks of building safety, security, resilience and trust in the Digital Economy, fostering digital ecosystems, and harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly for ‘Good and for All’.

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“To unlock the full potential of AI, equitably share its benefits and mitigate risks, we will work together to promote international cooperation and further discussions on international governance for AI,” it said. The declaration also welcomed India’s plan to build and maintain a Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (GDPIR), a virtual repository of DPI, voluntarily shared by G20 members and beyond.

Further, it takes note of the Indian Presidency’s proposal of the One Future Alliance (OFA), a voluntary initiative aimed to build capacity and provide technical assistance and adequate funding support for implementing DPI in LMICs.

“In our voluntary efforts to make digital public infrastructure interoperable, we recognise the importance of data free flow with trust and cross-border data flows while respecting applicable legal frameworks. We also reaffirm the role of Data for Development,” it said.

On technological transformation and Digital Public Infrastructure, the Declaration noted that technology can enable rapid transformations for bridging the existing digital divides and accelerate progress for inclusive and sustainable development..

“Digital public infrastructure (DPI), as an evolving concept and as a set of shared digital systems, built and leveraged by both the public and private sectors, based on secure and resilient infrastructure, and can be built on open standards and specifications, as well as opensource software can enable delivery of services at societal-scale,” it said.

Put simply, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) refers to blocks or platforms such as digital identification, payment infrastructure and data exchange solutions that help countries deliver essential services to their people, empowering citizens and improving lives by enabling digital inclusion.

A case in point is the India Stack, say the identity system Aadhaar, payment platform UPI and others, all of which have been receiving ringing praises globally.

DPIs are interoperable, open, and inclusive systems supported by technology and provide essential, society-wide, public and private services that play a critical role in accelerating this digital transformation in an inclusive manner.

G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration has laid emphasis on building safety, security, resilience and trust in the digital economy.

An enabling, inclusive, open, fair, non-discriminatory and secure digital economy is increasingly important for all countries and stakeholders while respecting applicable legal frameworks.

“We will share our approaches and good practices to build a safe, secure and resilient digital economy. To this extent, we…welcome the non-binding G20 High-level Principles to Support Businesses in Building Safety, Security, Resilience, and Trust in the Digital Economy…welcome the G20 Toolkit on Cyber Education and Cyber Awareness of Children and Youth,” it said.

It reaffirmed its commitment to G20 AI Principles (2019) and endeavour to share information on approaches to using AI to support solutions in the digital economy.

“We…Will pursue a pro-innovation regulatory/governance approach that maximizes the benefits and takes into account the risks associated with the use of AI,” it said.

It also pledged to “promote responsible AI for achieving SDGs”.

On harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly for Good and for All, it said the rapid progress of AI promises prosperity and expansion of the global digital economy.

“It is our endeavour to leverage AI for the public good by solving challenges in a responsible, inclusive and human-centric manner, while protecting people’s rights and safety. To ensure responsible AI development, deployment and use, the protection of human rights, transparency and explainability, fairness, accountability, regulation, safety, appropriate human oversight, ethics, biases, privacy, and data protection must be addressed,” it said.