Industries and government services are poised for significant transformation through technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). Harnessing AI for analyzing big data holds the key to deploying intelligent solutions that engage and connect citizens, the business community, and the State.
According to Joanna Kazana, the UN Resident Coordinator, the aim is to not only adapt to these technological advancements but also to embrace them as transformative forces with the potential to positively reshape our human experience. As civilization stands at the brink of another technological revolution, altering the very fabric of our lives, work, learning, communication, and relationships, the UN is at the forefront advocating for a data revolution.
The UN recently hosted its third annual Big Data Forum, featuring panel discussions and presentations from government ministries and esteemed organizations across various sectors such as analytics, technology, security, and finance. This forum has catalyzed numerous actions over the past years, marking significant milestones in local data ecosystem modernization efforts.
This year's forum builds upon the success of its predecessors, placing a strong emphasis on the increasing role of AI in processing big data and its potential to drive economic growth. The UN has been a leading advocate for leveraging both traditional statistics and big data while ensuring data privacy, protection, and ethics.
Initiatives like Global Pulse, established in 2009, have paved the way for leveraging big data and data analysis for sustainable development and humanitarian action. With innovative pulse labs globally harnessing anonymized mobile and social media data, the UN is supporting solutions to development challenges across countries.
Furthermore, the UN has taken strides in cybersecurity, launching initiatives and projects aimed at creating a sustainable and inclusive global community. Recently, a high-level multi-stakeholder advisory body on AI was launched by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, underscoring the need for dialogue and international norms to govern state behavior in cyberspace.
Despite the progress, there are still significant disparities in the digital world. While the number of digitally connected individuals has surged, the digital divide persists across regions, gender, income, language, and age groups. Additionally, there is a growing divide in data ownership and innovation, with wealth concentrated among a few global players.
The UN is ahead of the curve, proposing the development of a Global Digital Compact to advance a human-centered digital future anchored in universal human rights and sustainable development goals. In the Caribbean, discussions about AI and big data are dynamic, with a focus on using data and information to address discrimination, inequality, and structural barriers.
As the forum concludes, it is clear that embracing the vision of inclusive digital transformation is paramount for achieving sustainable development goals. In Trinidad and Tobago, while commendable progress has been made, there is a pressing need to chart a path where innovation thrives, ethics lead, and the most vulnerable members of society benefit.
Event coverage is published by News Day.
Note:
The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
