Latvia to Establish AI Center by March's End
Latvia Establishes AI Center to Foster Responsible AI Use
Latvia has taken a significant step towards AI development and ethical AI practices with the establishment of a new AI Center. The Center, created by a recently passed law, aims to develop and promote AI solutions for use in the public sector, ensuring a unified and responsible approach to AI implementation.
The AI Center will serve as a national hub, fostering collaboration between state institutions, the private sector, industry, and scientists. The State, represented by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), the Ministry of Economics, and the Ministry of Defence, will be founding members of the Center. The exact composition of the Center, including the Council and founding members, is yet to be publicly detailed as the legislation is still being finalized.
The objectives for the AI Center include promoting ethical AI development frameworks, enhancing AI-related skills among public-sector stakeholders, and facilitating cooperation between government, private sector, and academia to boost AI innovation and compliance with emerging AI regulations like the EU AI Act. The Center will also focus on ensuring AI systems are used ethically, responsibly, and safely, and will be required to implement measures to mitigate the risks associated with the use of AI.
The law provides a legal framework for public-private and university cooperation in AI, and aims to establish a regulatory "sandbox" environment for AI developers that allows some legal flexibility to foster AI system development and testing. The deadline for the establishment of the Center is March 31 this year, and the new law, passed by 73 MPs, establishes an AI ecosystem in Latvia.
Despite these developments, several unresolved issues around data security and compensation are delaying the final structure of the AI Center. Nine MPs from the For Stability! party voted against the new law.
Key Points:
- The AI Center aims to develop and promote AI in the public sector, ensuring responsible and ethical AI use.
- The Center will be a collaboration between state institutions, the private sector, industry, and scientists.
- The exact composition of the Center, including the Council and founding members, is yet to be publicly detailed.
- The objectives for the AI Center include promoting ethical AI development frameworks, enhancing AI-related skills, and facilitating cooperation between government, private sector, and academia.
- The AI Center will be required to implement measures to mitigate the risks associated with the use of AI.
- The law provides a legal framework for public-private and university cooperation in AI, and aims to establish a regulatory "sandbox" environment for AI developers.
- The deadline for the establishment of the Center is March 31 this year, and the new law establishes an AI ecosystem in Latvia.
- Several unresolved issues around data security and compensation are delaying the final structure of the AI Center. Nine MPs from the For Stability! party voted against the new law.
The AI Center, established in Latvia as part of a recently passed law, will work towards developing and promoting technology, particularly artificial-intelligence (AI), within the public sector, ensuring its use is responsible and ethical. The Center, composed of state institutions, the private sector, industry, and scientists, will function as a national hub, fostering collaboration and cooperation in AI. Despite some unresolved issues around data security and compensation, the AI Center aims to overcome these obstacles and establish an AI ecosystem in Latvia by the deadline of March 31 this year.
