Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation Silvio Schembri has officially launched the country’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence.
Speaking today at the Delta Summit 2019, Malta’s official Blockchain and Digital Innovation event, Schembri outlined key points of the plan to make the country into the “Ultimate AI Launchpad.”
Commercially, Malta is aiming to market itself as a kind of real-world test lab, where both local and foreign companies and entrepreneurs can develop, prototype, test and scale AI projects – across a country “primed for AI adoption”, before rolling out to other, larger countries.
Schembri said the strategy would involve driving local and foreign investment, incubating a vibrant AI start-up community, and stimulating niche research and development and innovation. Malta will also be introducing the world’s first national AI certification program to create trust, transparency and accountability in the AI industry.
Regarding the public sector, Malta aims to create an “AI-powered Government” covering education, healthcare, energy and water, traffic management, tourism and customer service.
AYO.NEWS says:
Maltese plans for artificial intelligence are nothing if not ambitious, and the country has had some real success attracting emerging tech like blockchain already – as evidenced by the Delta Summit itself.
However, the country is still suffering from some real, fundamental issues, especially surrounding access to basic banking services, traffic and environmental problems, and housing affordability (read more) – not to mention a dubious international reputation regarding alleged corruption. So, Schembri and the other visionaries in the government will certainly have their work cut out for them to pull this off.
With other jurisdictions around the world now realising the economic potential of AI and emerging tech, Malta is going to be in for some stiff competition, but, if it can pull it off, it could ensure a very bright future for the islands!
AYO.NEWS says features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited.
