The Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA), together with the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, Tech.mt, and Malta Enterprise, was in Amsterdam for the World Summit AI from 9-10 October, showcasing Malta’s strategy and vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to key stakeholders on an international platform.
World Summit AI is one of the world’s leading events for the entire AI ecosystem, looking into the wide-ranging AI-related areas: from enterprise to big tech, startups, investors and scientists, whilst addressing the most burning issues in the field.
The participation in the summit followed the launch of the Strategy and Vision for AI in Malta 2030, by the Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Hon Silvio Schembri during Delta Summit 2019.
MDIA CEO Stephen McCarthy commented:
“Applying a vetting process to AI software will make Malta the first country in the world to actually certify artificial intelligence as trustworthy. Software assurance is key as AI is expected to become the most transformative general purpose technology of our era. Taking our vision to the World Summit AI in Amsterdam enabled us to engage with global stakeholders to turn our vision into a reality.”
The vision is for Malta to become “The Ultimate AI Launchpad”, creating conditions for AI to springboard from Malta to the rest of the world. The Malta.AI Taskforce, chaired by MDIA CTO Wayne Grixti, together with Working Groups, and a vast array of stakeholders having an extensive range of expertise, worked towards developing a National AI Strategy that aims to create a lasting and positive impact on Malta’s citizens and businesses. The MDIA has been tasked with the responsibility for the monitoring and governance of the strategy’s implementation.
The MDIA also published a set of guidelines for public consultation at the Delta Summit, which aim at assisting Service Providers and Innovative Technology Arrangements applicants when approaching the MDIA for AI-related certification. It will be the world’s first national AI certification programme aiming for AI solutions to be developed in an ethically aligned, transparent and socially responsible manner.
The consultation documents are divided into four chapters referred to as the MDIA Guidance Notes. These chapters include the AI ITA Guidelines, the AI System Auditor Control Objectives, the AI ITA Nomenclature, and the AI ITA Blueprint Guidelines.
The MDIA invites members of the public, industry and academia to provide feedback on these consultation documents. This feedback will inform the MDIA’s recommendations on Malta’s approach to establishing ethical and trustworthy AI.
The consultation period is open to the public until 01 November 2019. Interested parties are requested to submit their comments and feedback by email to info@mdia.gov.mt.
The consultation documents can be accessed here: https://mdia.gov.mt/consultation/
