Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1097443
28.03.19 6 FOLLOWING the crypto leap which spring-boarded Malta as one of the leaders in Dis- tributed Ledge Technologies (DLT), the government has now set its sight on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to further ce- ment itself as a leader in up- and-coming technologies. Just last week, members of the AI Taskforce together with various experts and stakehold- ers in the field met up to dis- cuss the first draft of the full- blown AI strategy. Parliamentary Secretary for Digital Innovation Silvio Schembri said that Malta as- pires to become a place in which local and foreign com- panies and entrepreneurs can develop, prototype, test and scale AI, and ultimately show- case the value from their inno- vations across an entire nation primed for adoption. "Our ambition is to cre- ate the conditions for AI to springboard from Malta to the world." he said. During this event, a 44-page high-level policy document was published, outlining black on white the holistic national strategy on Artificial Intelli- gence. Malta as the ultimate AI launchpad According to the week-old Taskforce document, the final strategy will map out a clear path for Malta to gain a stra- tegic competitive advantage in the global economy as a leader in AI. In essence, this will gen- erate investment and position the country as a hub for AI ap- plications, niche areas of R&D, and a vibrant startup commu- nity. Key to the strategy are ways in which AI could be deployed for government operations to enhance civic services in- cluding healthcare, education and traffic management. Fur- thermore, the strategy draws upon the need to re-invent and update the educational framework to provide the tal- ent pool necessary for such an operation. In addition to this, the gov- ernment is also keen to trans- form the island into the ul- timate AI launchpad; a place where local and foreign com- panies alike can develop, test and ultimately showcase their products across an entire na- tion before exporting them in- ternationally. The brains behind the strat- egy believe that Malta's pecu- liar strengths and limitations can help transform the nation into a quasi-test bed of arti- ficial intelligent applications. They reckon that the island's tech-savvy, English-speaking population, together with cur- rent telecoms infrastructure and legal framework will make Malta an attractive destina- tion for AI giants and start- ups alike. The building blocks of the strategy The foundations laid in the strategy sets focus on three main principal pillars: Invest- ment, Start-Ups and Innova- tion, Public Sector Adoption, and Private Sector Adoption. First and foremost Malta seeks to attract investment and talent to bolster this sec- tor. The primary focus will be given to economic devel- opment and foreign direct investment. In spite of this, Malta will look to attract and will welcome companies of all shapes and sizes, ranging from start-ups to global tech pow- erhouses. Moreover, the government aims to transform the pub- lic sector into a vitrine of AI-based projects, providing better services to citizens and businesses while also enhanc- ing the internal operations of the public sector. The aim is to develop tailor-made inno- vative AI systems to address some of the most salient do- mestic challenges including, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE After blockchain success, Malta to take on AI giants Following the success of the blockchain island strategy, having become the rst jurisdiction to legislate distributed ledger technology, Malta has now set its sights on Articial Intelligence The old adage of 'power to the people' will be reinforced with the implementation of Malta's AI strategy. According to the Parliamentary Secretary for Digital Innovation Silvio Schembri, 'We are a country willing to adapt to change, the government must be disruptive to adopt positive innovative thinking. AI will give power to the people." During one of the later panel talks, Wilbert Tabone the youngest member on the AI Taskforce managed to diffuse the argument of AI being a hyped up technology. "I think it will live up to its current expectations. However, we must be careful, in how we portray AI in mass media. AI will complement human intelligence not supersede it." LIAM CARTER 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE AI WORKSHOP During last week's public workshop the audience was treated to a handful of thought- provoking debates delivered from industry leaders and experts in AI. ese are our ve key takeaways AI will 'give power to the people' Questions of overhyping 1 2 Malta.AI Taskforce CEO Wayne Grixti