The Strategic and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector of Latin America and the Caribbean

Annex A. Relevant aspects of LAC national AI strategies

Table A A.1.  Aspects of national AI strategies related to public sector transformation

Country	Strategy status	Relevant aspects
Argentina	Completed in 2019	Title: AI National Plan. Promotes and encourages the adoption of AI for an agile, efficient and modern State, capable of delivering measures relevant to growth and development objectives, guaranteeing solutions to the needs of citizens by providing more and better services, and acting as a key factor in the promotion of AI-based technology and the transformation of the country. Among its specific objectives it seeks to: increase the State’s productivity and efficiency through targeted AI solutions; use traceable AI systems with well-founded and transparent logics; and ensure standardised, efficient and successful AI purchasing and implementation processes. Further information: https://oecd.ai/dashboards/policy-initiatives/2019-data-policyInitiatives-24309, https://uai.edu.ar/ciiti/2019/buenos-aires/downloads/B1/JA-Plan-Nacional-IA.pdf and https://ia-latam.com/portfolio/plan-nacional-de-ia-gobierno-de-argentina.
Brazil	Completed in 2021	Title: Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Brazil defined three thematic axes for the strategy (legislation, regulation and ethical use; AI governance; international aspects) and six vertical axes, including application in the public sector. The strategy also includes six key objectives, including the development of ethical principles for Brazil, removed barriers to AI innovation and cross-sector co-operation, among others. The strategy also reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to the OECD AI Principles and uses the principles as a foundation for the strategy. The strategy commits to actions to structure AI governance and ecosystems to support all sectors, establish cross-sector partnerships and publish open government data. Specific to the public sector axis, it commits to implementing AI in 12 public services by 2022, incorporate AI into policy making, implement spaces for data and AI experimentation, and a number of actions to ensure ethical and accountable use of AI in the public sector. Further information: https://www.gov.br/mcti/pt-br/acompanhe-o-mcti/transformacaodigital/inteligencia-artificial.
Chile	Completed in 2021	Title: AI National Policy (and associated AI Action Plan). Promotes the adoption of AI in the State at a level equal to or higher than the OECD average. In includes cross-cutting principles on wellbeing/human rights, sustainable development, inclusive AI, and participation in the global AI ecosystem. It also includes policy axes focusing on enabling factors (talent, infrastructure, data); development and adoption (e.g. research, innovation, public services) and ethics, regulatory aspects, and socioeconomic effects. Further information: https://oecd.ai/en/dashboards/policy-initiatives/http:%2F%2Faipo.oecd.org%2F2021-data-policyInitiatives-24840, www.minciencia.gob.cl/area-de-trabajo/participa-y-contribuye-con-la-politica-nacional-de-inteligencia-artificial, https://minciencia.gob.cl/areas-de-trabajo/inteligencia-artificial/politica-nacional-de-inteligencia-artificial/plan-de-accion.
Colombia	Completed in 2019	Title: Digital Transformation and AI National Policy (Conpes 3975). Understands the digital transformation of the State as an enabler to increase social and economic value. Although the strategy includes other topics, public sector transformation actions are among the most numerous ones. Includes three relevant action lines: improving the performance of the digital government policy to adopt AI; promoting digitally based innovation in the public sector; and executing high-impact initiatives in areas like citizen services, healthcare, justice, taxes, infrastructure and national archives. Further information: https://oecd.ai/dashboards/policy-initiatives/2019-data-policyInitiatives-26728.
Mexico	Completed in 2018 under a previous administration. However, the document is not publicly available and the OECD is unable to determine whether it is still in effect.	Title: IA-MX 2018.1 It includes three relevant actions for the public sector: developing an AI subcommittee to promote multi-sectoral dialogue and approaches; identifying best practices in government; and promoting the international leadership of Mexico in international forums. This has led the country to participate in the creation of the Working Group on Technological Change in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals within the United Nations (UN) and the Working Group for Emerging Technologies in the GEALC Network (Latin America and Caribbean Network for the Development of Digital Governments) (Zapata and Gomez-Mont, 2020[1]). Other public sector recommendations are found among two relevant documents that the Mexican Government has endorsed as part of their AI efforts:2 clarifying the strategic vision on the development and use of AI in the public sector; defining a clear governance framework including an AI Steering Committee and Emergent Technology Innovation teams in selected Ministries; developing guidelines for smart AI procurement, taking a portfolio approach to develop and procure AI products and services in government; and creating co-ordination mechanisms among cybersecurity incident response teams. Further information: https://oecd.ai/dashboards/policy-initiatives/2019-data-policyInitiatives-26703.
Peru	First draft provided for OECD review in May 2021.	Title: National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. Expected to cover the period 2021-2026 and to be updated every two years to reflect evolution in technology. Focuses on strategic axes related to training, economic models, technological infrastructure, data, ethics, and collaboration. It includes a strategic objective to promote the incorporation of AI in public sector operations and citizen-facing services.
Uruguay	Completed in 2019	Title: AI Strategy for the Digital Government. Uruguay’s strategy is fully dedicated to public sector transformation. Its main purpose is promoting and strengthening AI’s responsible use in the public administration. It includes a set of 9 principles and its commitments are structured in in four pillars: AI governance in public administration; skills development for AI; AI use and adoption; and digital citizenship and AI. Further information: Box 2.3, https://oecd.ai/dashboards/policy-initiatives/2019-data-policyInitiatives-26477.

1. It was not possible to access the original document of the Mexican AI Strategy, but general public information on the Government’s website is still available: https://www.gob.mx/epn/es/articulos/estrategia-de-inteligencia-artificial-mx-2018

2. See (Martinho-Truswell et al., 2018[2]) and (Coalición IA2030Mx, 2020[3]).

Source: OECD review of national AI strategies.

References

[3] Coalición IA2030Mx (2020), Agenda Nacional Mexicana de Inteligencia Artificial, https://36dc704c-0d61-4da0-87fa-917581cbce16.filesusr.com/ugd/7be025_6f45f669e2fa4910b32671a001074987.pdf (accessed on 18 February 2021).

[2] Martinho-Truswell, E. et al. (2018), Towards an AI Strategy in Mexico: Harnessing the AI Revolution, http://go.wizeline.com/rs/571-SRN-279/images/Towards-an-AI-strategy-in-Mexico.pdf.

[1] Zapata, E. and C. Gomez-Mont (2020), Policy Brief #15, Mexico: the story and lessons behind Latin America’s first AI strategy, https://7da2ca8d-b80d-4593-a0ab-5272e2b9c6c5.filesusr.com/ugd/7be025_5b56471311f74346a6ad5faa1e7a8ec9.pdf.