The Dutch government has launched a Strategic Action Plan for Artificial Intelligence, outlining goals and actions for the country to take advantage of the social and economic opportunities offered by artificial intelligence (AI). Increasing public-private investments in AI (to support researchers and entrepreneurs) is one of the main action lines. The plan also focuses on [...]

A UN event was convened under the theme Climate Action: Latest Business Technologies for Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on 4 October 2019 in New York, United States. The event which was organised by the Government of Slovenia, NGO Sustainability, and ROTH Capital Partners, was attended by a number of stakeholders including governments, private [...]

Pathways for Prosperity Commission released a new paper on Digital diplomacy: Technology governance for developing countries that looks at possible ways to make cross-border governance of technology work for developing countries. The research suggests that international cooperation is crucial to making the governance of digital technologies work for developing countries. It further pinpoints key technology [...]

NSO group, an Israel-based spyware company, has announced a new human rights policy to embed relevant human rights protections throughout its business and governance systems. This announcement came after repeated scandals, as  NSO Group’s spyware, Pegasus, was found to be used to target activists, journalists, and members of civil society in countries such as Mexico, [...]

The Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), through the Health Innovation Exchange, formed a partnership with ThoughtFocus, a technology services company, to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) Center of Excellence. The center will work with health care agencies, manufacturers, governments, civil society organizations, communities, and other stakeholders to promote the use of IoT in [...]

Apart from the US, G7 member countries have signed the Charter for a Free, Open, and Safe Internet that focuses on combating illegal content and online harms in online platforms. The Charter presents a list of actions that includes upholding human rights online, defending media freedom, protecting targeted groups, improving safety, increasing transparency, improving cooperation, [...]

Germany announced a new strategy related to developments in the field of blockchain technology. The aim of the strategy is to use its potential for Germany’s digital transformation. The strategy states that Germany has become a dynamic ecosystem attracting developers and providers of blockchain-based services, and sees Germany as a base for the development of [...]

In a report commissioned by the UK Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, the Royal United Services Institute explored the use of data analytics and algorithms in policing activities in England and Wales, and different types of bias that can arise in these activities. The report is based on consultations with police forces, civil society [...]

The Council of Europe's (CoE) Committee of Ministers has established an Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI) tasked with conducting a feasibility study and developing potential elements of a legal framework for the development, design, and application of artificial intelligence (AI). The committee is expected to engage in broad multistakeholder consultations, and take into [...]

The Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) signed a funding partnership to support Ecopia Tech Corporation (Ecopia) develop a digital map of sub-Saharan Africa that includes an estimated 342 million buildings, 3.8 million linear kilometers of roads, and 582 million hectares of forests. “This project will not only showcase Canadian technology on the world stage, but [...]