The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Public Consultation, put together by the Ministry of Digital Economy in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program, was held on 9th January at Water's Edge. It brought together all key stakeholders, including Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, UNDP Sri Lanka's Malin Herwig, and leading AI experts, to envision Sri Lanka's AI-driven future.
In his keynote, Deputy Minister Weeraratne emphasized that AI is about transformative potential and emphasized its key role across all Digital Economy pillars set by the government: Digital Industry, Digital Learning, E-Government, sectorial industry applications and beyond.
Dr. Romesh Ranawana, the Chair of CFSAI, presented the core components of the strategy, while Naveen Varshan Ilavarasan from UNDP discussed the importance of safeguards in the adoption of AI and Digital Public Infrastructure. Merl Chandana from LIRNEasia and Kim Eunsong from UNESCO made presentations on the ethical use of AI, its risks, and UNESCO's framework for responsible development.
Panel discussions and interactive breakout sessions were also conducted on the opportunities, challenges, and policy recommendations for AI in sectors such as education, health, and governance. The consultation was concluded with reflections and next steps by Dr. Ranawana, emphasizing a shared commitment toward the creation of an inclusive and ethical AI ecosystem for Sri Lanka.
