The OECD has published the first report that attempts to assess the implementation of the OECD AI Principles among the G-20 nations. Examples of AI National Policies surveys “rationales and illustrative actions” for the 10 principles that make up the OECD/G-20 Guidelines on AI policy. The report was prepared by the G20 Digital Economy Task Force.
Key observations from the Task Force report:
- G20 countries are moving quickly to build trustworthy AI ecosystems, though most initiatives are very recent
- Many national AI strategies address multiple G20 AI Principles simultaneously, which the OECD contends reinforce the strong complementarity of the Principles
- So far, few national policies emphasize Principles of robustness, security and safety, and accountability,
- Many national policies emphasize R&D, fostering a digital ecosystem, human capacity, and international cooperation
The Task Force also found that “there is potential for steering public research towards socially oriented applications and issues, and for leveraging R&D activities to make progress on issues such as accountability, explainability, fairness and transparency.” The Task Force emphasized that there “is currently a critical window for G20 members to continue their leadership on AI policy issues and to promote implementation of the G20 AI Principles. Development, diffusion and use of AI technologies are still at a relatively early level of maturity across many countries and firms, and policy-making on AI is in an active experimental phase.”
In the world of international policy frameworks, assessing implementation of policy goals remains one of the most difficult tasks. Reporting is often uneven, there is considerable trust placed in country self-reporting, and there may be disputes as to the correct metrics and the standards for progress. Nonetheless, the G20 Digital Economy Task Force should be credited for this substantial survey of the G-20 efforts to implement the OECD/G-20 AI Principles.
The G-20 adopted the OECD AI Principles at the 2019 Ministerial meeting in Osaka. Work on the OECD/G-20 AI Principles continued at the Ministerial meeting in Ridyah. The 2021 G-20 Ministerial will be held in Rome. The next G-20 meeting provides a critical opportunity to asses further progress on the AI Principles, as well as to see whether the G-20 countries have begun to implement the Principles of robustness, security and safety, and accountability,
Marc Rotenberg, Director
Center for AI and Digital Policy at Michael Dukakis Institute
The Center for AI and Digital Policy, founded in 2020, advises governments on technology policy
