Palak urged the UN to connect 2.5 billion people to reliable internet and introduce AI governance
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of Bangladesh, called for a global consensus on ensuring universal internet for everyone in every part of the world and launching global AI governance through organizations like the United Nations and UNESCO.
On Wednesday, he made this call while participating in the global discussion on the policy strategy of inventing effective technology with digital inclusion to overcome the existing digital inequality and establish equality in the society of the future.
Moderated by Victoria Attack, editor of tech-based western media Vivatech, the meeting was held with geographic and sector-based experts in a global context on technology and application innovation to reduce the existing gap between developed, developing and underdeveloped countries using artificial intelligence.
Felicitas, Global Head of FinTech Sumup, Carloti Ngeson, an entrepreneur working with data solutions from Ivory Coast, and Maria Gracias Cuccarini, CEO of UNESCO's Department of Social Human Sciences, also participated in the discussion.
While speaking at the beginning of the program, Palak said that cutting-edge frontier technologies such as AI and quantum computing are currently being widely discussed. But if we can't provide reliable internet connections to the 2.5 billion people in the world without internet, closing the gap between developed and underdeveloped countries will be really difficult. In 2008, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasi started the digital transformation of public services by setting up digital centers from villages to reduce such gaps. From there a woman and a man provide digital services. Currently, 9000 digital service centers, 52000 websites and 16000 digital service entrepreneurs are providing 10 million services per month. Meanwhile, we are providing technology-based inclusive solutions for citizens. Now, we are going to use generative AI for government services.
Commenting on how Bangladesh is reducing the gap between cities and villages, the state minister also said that last year we proposed to the United Nations to reduce digital inequality to zero by 2041. We consider internet access a basic need. We think that everyone should reach a consensus through organizations like the United Nations and UNESCO. Similarly, a universal AI governance needs to be introduced. I think international organizations should now make their resources and technology universal for all countries and citizens. Maria Gracias Cuccarini, CEO of UNESCO's Department of Social Human Sciences, said countries like Bangladesh, which have computers, internet and human resources, should be taught how to use the benefits of AI technology instead of using costly technologies like biotech to take developing countries a leap forward. That is why we are giving ideas from UNESCO on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in countries like Africa. Because Africa knows what kind of AI it needs.
