AI World Society support Digital Public Infrastructure and products of iSpirt

AI World Society support Digital Public Infrastructure and products of iSpirt

Boston Global Forum (BGF) and Indian Software Product Industry Round Table Foundation (iSPIRT), India collaborate in development digital, AI products, solutions with AI World Society models, concepts. Here are areas of collaboration:

  • AI and Digital Strategies: BGF and iSPIRT will jointly explore and lead in the development of strategies related to AI, digital technologies, and their implications for economy, peace and society in Vietnam, Japan, EU with an emphasis on advancing AI World Society (AIWS) initiative, a flagship project of BGF and Digital Public Infrastructure; Identity stack MOSIP, financial inclusion stack UPI, e KYC, Digital locker and other products under development. They will also discuss development of global standards for digital public infrastructure that will help in offering interoperability between various systems. Furthermore, India expresses its readiness to assist in co-creating Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) for Vietnam, exploring various deployment models including SaaS services and ‘DPI in a box’ solutions.
  • Deployment Integration: BGF will provide support to ISPIRT and recognize public technology conceptualised or created by iSPIRT as AIWS digital infrastructure and Global Enlightenment Mountain to bring and deploy Digital Public Infrastructure in Vietnam, Japan, EU. This collaboration will be strengthened through enhanced G2G and B2B bilateral cooperation in the field of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), fostering a more integrated and efficient approach in the development and deployment of these technologies.

Sharad Sharma, co-founder iSPIRT and Nguyen Anh Tuan, BGF CEO at an AIWS Roundtable at MIT Connection Science

 

AIWS Roundtable: Amma Spiritual Values to build AI World Society

AIWS Roundtable: Amma Spiritual Values to build AI World Society

During Governor Dukakis’s 90th Birthday Celebration on November 2, 2023, held at Harvard University Loeb House and organized by the Boston Global Forum (BGF), an exciting and innovative initiative was unveiled. In collaboration with Amma, a globally esteemed spiritual leader, BGF introduced the initiative ‘World’s Congress of Spiritualities and Religions in Building the AI World Society.’

The following is an AIWS Roundtable discussion between Amma and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, CEO of the Boston Global Forum, focusing on Spiritual Values to build AIWS.

 

Nguyen Anh Tuan: How can we integrate spiritual and humanitarian values into the development of AI and technology to create a more ethical and compassionate world as AIWS Model?

Amma: All technology, including AI, have no sense of ethics or compassion of their own. Technological devices may be programmed with some formulas and algorithms, and those formulas and algorithms might have been coded by a human being, yet that is not equal to “ethics” in the original sense. In cases of high importance, we will always need a human in the process—a person whose ethics and compassion are rock solid—both in principle and action. In truth, the values of humanitarian work and spirituality are fundamentally the same. Spirituality begins with the desire for personal peace, but when it matures, it blossoms into the beautiful flower of compassion for all. It even goes beyond humankind, expanding to include all beings, even inanimate things.

 

Nguyen Anh Tuan: Are there specific initiatives or collaborations you believe can harness the moral influence of religious leaders for positive changes in society?

Amma: Yes, there are ways for us to do so. Again, it starts with theory, which is provided by the various religious leaders around the world, but it shouldn’t end there. While morality begins as an intangible resource in each person’s heart, for that to transform into a tangible change in society, the followers need guidance—on the physical and emotional levels. They need a leader who is both wise and compassionate, practical, their actions steeped in selflessness, because this is exactly what the world needs today.

For example, through an annual internship program, we took our university students to remote, rural villages in India. The program introduced around 2,000 to 3,000 students to village life. After this, we noticed many students’ willingness to offer help to those in need. We were able to achieve this success with a young-adult population. So, consider the impact if we had introduced these concepts to them during their formative years.

We all have infinite potential within us. When we face challenges in life, we should not shy away from thinking, “I cannot do this.” Even when we feel helpless, we shouldn’t give up. Keep moving forward. This effort will help us become completely self-reliant.

One of our cornerstone initiatives is the Live-in-Labs program at Amrita, where we work on various projects related to sustainable development goals in hundreds of villages across India. These span across 7 thematic areas such as health and hygiene, water and sanitation, agriculture and risk management, waste management and infrastructure, education and gender equality, livelihood and skills development, and energy and environment. We have also invited several worldwide academic institutions that have actively participated in the field work.

 

Nguyen Anh Tuan: What are Amma’s priorities and strategies for promoting peace and security? How can organizations like Boston Global Forum support and collaborate?

Amma: Amma’s priorities are always the same—to give the world as much love and compassion as possible. Having personally embraced more than 40 million people throughout her life, Amma has directly listened to and consoled the world’s poor.  Amma’s initiatives have been inspired by these conversations. These include:  educational and skill development interventions (3.2 million young and adult learners in 15000+ educational institutions, 54000+ teachers trained), healthcare interventions since 1998 (5.9 million patients treated free of charge), disaster relief activities ($75 million provided in aid as part of disaster relief since 2004 with 203,000 estimated beneficiaries), nurturing the environment (over 1 million trees planted worldwide, massive cleanliness drives, public health and awareness campaigns, inspiring a zero waste approach through reuse and recycling,) along with research and development to support the pressing needs of the most vulnerable strata of the society and of course Amma’s darshan and spiritual practices. As part of the Civil20 India initiative, we connected with 6000 civil society organizations from 154 countries that included participation of more than 4.5 million people worldwide through outreach campaigns to address health, environment, community and technology empowerment.

We welcome support and collaboration on such initiatives with other like-minded organizations that can help strengthen our collective effort to reach out further to those in need.

Nguyen Anh Tuan presents Amma with the “2023 World Leader for Peace and Security Award” on her 70th birthday

Gaza truce, skirmishes in the sand box: Roundup on the Four Pillars

Gaza truce, skirmishes in the sand box: Roundup on the Four Pillars

Rumblings of a truce in Gaza came to fruition this week, wherein Hamas and Israel agreed to a halt in fighting in order to exchange hostages and prisoners. The ceasefire was to be for 4 days, with Hamas releasing 50 hostages and Israel, 150 Palestinian prisoners. Israel would also allow at least 200 trucks for humanitarian aid into Gaza. Brokered by Qatar and Egypt with the aid of the US, some view the deal as a potential opening to a broader ceasefire or peace.

In the broader Middle East, the US had been engaging in skirmishes with Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria, retaliating with airstrikes. There was intel that the Wagner Group, an unofficial paramilitary of Russia had been preparing to supply Iranian proxies in the region with air defense equipment. More recently, the Houthi rebels in Yemen targeted a Japanese ship and attempted to attack an American ship. This could prove harmful to the Pivot to Asia, wherein the US has to return to the Middle East when the strategic threat remains in the Asia-Pacific.

In other news, the EU has been plotting its own course for defense spending, independent of reliance on the US. In other words, Brussels is seeking to enhance Europe’s defense industries but also export equipment. This would be beneficial in which the EU continues to step up aid to Ukraine, in lieu of American domestic political paralysis halting potential aid to the country.

The UK, a part of one of the Pillars, has been contributing to humanitarian aid in the region too via Egypt. Germany, another corpus of the EU Pillar, has signed a deal on gas and renewables with Nigeria, one of Africa’s most populous and also the top oil-producing country on the continent. Nigeria would supply Germany with LNG, while Germany invests in renewable projects in the country. This is helpful as the EU continues to move away from Russian gas, and the coming winter means more energy is spent.

Vehicles carrying fuel and aid supplies make their way through Gaza City’s Zeitoun district on Sunday. Photo: Ahmed Ibrahim/Zuma Press

AIWS Roundtable Series: “Advancing Human-Centered AI through Integration with Natural Systems and Neuroscience: Toward Policy and Societal Well-Being”

AIWS Roundtable Series: “Advancing Human-Centered AI through Integration with Natural Systems and Neuroscience: Toward Policy and Societal Well-Being”

As a natural extension of the BGF Initiative unveiled at the BGF Conference in celebration of Governor Dukakis’s 90th birthday, BGF proudly presents the AIWS Roundtable series. This initiative delves deeper into the profound discussions initiated at the conference. Join us in unraveling the profound policy and societal implications of forging an alternative AI grounded in the sciences of computational physics, biology, and neuroscience. This unique exploration promises insights that transcend traditional AI boundaries, paving the way for a future where technology aligns seamlessly with the well-being of individuals and society at large. Be part of this groundbreaking conversation as we chart the course toward a more humane and enlightened AI future.

Embark on a transformative journey into the realms of artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and natural systems with our AIWS Roundtable series. The first Roundtable, commemorating the birthday of the Boston Global Forum, is set for December 12, 2023, followed by engaging sessions throughout January 2024. Lasting approximately two weeks each, these sessions delve into the profound implications of integrating AI with the wisdom of natural systems and the intricacies of neuroscience. Our esteemed panel of speakers includes MIT Distinguished Scholars Alex Pentland, John Clippinger, Harvard Scholars David Silbersweig, Thomas Patterson, John Quelch, distinguished innovators such as Tom Kehler, Tuan Nguyen, former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, and many distinguished leaders, thinkers, policymakers, and decision-makers.

 

Duration: Approximately one hour per Roundtable

MC: David Lovejoy, Founder, and Chief Content Curator of Horizon Search

Theme for AIWS Roundtables: “An Alternative AI Based on The Science of Computational Physics, Biology, and Neuroscience: Policy and Societal Significance”

Economist Larry Summers joins the board of OpenAI as ousted CEO Sam Altman returns

Economist Larry Summers joins the board of OpenAI as ousted CEO Sam Altman returns

OpenAI’s board at first refused to entertain the possibility of Altman returning, but then something happened they could not ignore: 702 out of OpenAI’s 770 employees committed to leaving the company unless Altman was restored. The employees also asked that a new board be assembled. It was, and Altman was restored as CEO not long after.

Just one former board member sits on the new, temporary board: Adam D’Angelo, the CEO of the question-and-answer site Quora. He had voted for Altman’s ouster.

Others, who are familiar to Silicon Valley boards, have taken seats alongside him. They include Bret Taylor, a longtime Silicon Valley executive and former chairman of the board of Twitter, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

As it stands, OpenAI’s charter says it is committed to the development of artificial general intelligence, also known as AGI, or a type of AI superintelligence that can outperform humans, that will not “harm humanity or unduly concentrate power.”

 

Please read see full story here:

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/24/1215015362/chatgpt-openai-sam-altman-fired-explained#:~:text=OpenAI’s%20board%20of%20directors’%20abruptly,the%20surface%20of%20the%20company.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/22/tech/larry-summers-openai-board-sam-altman/index.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/11/openai-ilya-sutskever-sam-altman-fired/676072/

Professor Nazli Choucri: Governor Dukakis, A Leader for a Better Future, Inspires Us in AI Governance

Professor Nazli Choucri: Governor Dukakis, A Leader for a Better Future, Inspires Us in AI Governance

On November 2, 2023, at Harvard University Loeb House, during the BGF Conference commemorating the 90th birthday of Governor Dukakis, Co-founder, and Chair of BGF, MIT Professor Nazli Choucri, BGF Board Member, shared her insights as a distinguished contributor to the book “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment.” Here are the keynotes from her speech:

I want to revisit Michael Dukakis and highlight his various qualities as a person, individual, statesman, manager, leader, collaborator, problem solver, and inspirer for a better future. Those who have worked with him recognize his calm and compassionate nature. He handles differences of views with equilibrium and balance, efficiently reviewing and assessing priorities brought to him. In his interactions, he steers with respect for others, earning their respect in return.

We live in three interconnected worlds: the social, geopolitical human society; the natural environment; and the cyber domain. Our dilemma at this point in time is that we haven’t connected strategically, intellectually, theoretically, or even computationally to those three realities where we live. These are not autonomous anymore; they’re interconnected, but very few of us can really pull together where the connections really are. So, we’re faced with technological change.

Technological change and advances that are moving very rapidly, perhaps faster than we are able to manage. I want to conclude with a noteworthy discovery that around 74 countries have formal AI policies according to the OECD Observatory. The common core among them raises questions about the governance of AI with ethical considerations. Assessing outliers is crucial – are they outrageous and should be ignored, or integrated? This corpus of policies requires closer analysis and is of great importance to the governor.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C0_AxieOtI

Beth Noveck: We need investment in policy research dollars and attention to using AI to strengthen our democracy

Beth Noveck: We need investment in policy research dollars and attention to using AI to strengthen our democracy

On November 2, 2023, at Harvard University Loeb House, during the BGF Conference commemorating the 90th birthday of Governor Dukakis, Co-founder and Chair of BGF, Northeastern Professor Beth Noveck, the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer under President Obama, spoke. She was senior advisor for Open Government for UK Prime Minister David Cameron, and between 2018-2021, served on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Digital Council. Here are the keynotes from her speech:

Firstly, happy birthday Governor Michael Dukakis. I moved to Northeastern a year ago due to collaboration with the Dukakis Center, enabling me to lead the new Center for Social Change. I moved to Northeastern just a year ago, mainly due to a collaboration with the Dukakis Center and the values created as a legacy at various institutions. This enabled me to take up my new position as the Director of our new university-wide Center for Social Change. I’ll hide back here for a moment and say that this week, many of us interested in AI were faced with a 20,000-word, 111-page executive order from the White House. Surprisingly, there’s no mention of democracy or engaging the public in these documents.

I came today to express my concern about what this risk mindset does for us. There is a missed opportunity to fully realize the benefits of AI, particularly the distinctly human benefits, if we do not prioritize those opportunities. We need investment in policy research dollars and attention to using AI to strengthen our democracy. This is not a theoretical prescription; there is work ongoing that we can support, such as the Collective Intelligence Project, which uses AI for scalable conversations about AI benefits and risks.

This risk mindset is concerning, and we need to focus on realizing the benefits by incorporating the distributed wisdom of people. This involves innovative projects, like the one I’m involved in at Northeastern, called Policy Synth, and collaborations with institutions and tools like urbanist AI in Helsinki or the Dutch cycling lifestyle platform. In conclusion, while being wary of risks, we should resist fear-mongering that impedes our ability to ask and answer, “What can we do with these powerful technologies to realize the vision of AI for good?” If we fail to ask and answer how we can use AI to improve democracy, we will miss a crucial opportunity. We must focus on using AI to unlock artificial intelligence to enable collective intelligence.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C0_AxieOtI

Happy Thanksgiving from BGF

Happy Thanksgiving from BGF

Happy Thanksgiving!
As we express our gratitude on this special day, the Boston Global Forum extends heartfelt thanks to all contributors who have played a vital role in our endeavors. A special appreciation goes to the distinguished contributors of the book “From the Massachusetts Miracle to the Age of Global Enlightenment,” a tribute to the 90th birthday of Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-founder, and Chair of the Boston Global Forum. Your insights and dedication have enriched our collective journey. To explore the interactive version of the book, please visit:
Once again, thank you for your valuable contributions, and we wish you a joyous Thanksgiving!

APEC summit in San Francisco, European developments: Roundup on the Four Pillars

APEC summit in San Francisco, European developments: Roundup on the Four Pillars

US President Biden met with Xi Jinping this week at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Their four-hour discussion produced an agreement to restore military-to-military communications, open presidential hotlines, and work on curbing fentanyl. Some points of contention remained though, notably in regards to Taiwan. Plenty of Chinese state PR about friendliness between the two countries too, notably with the news that China will be sending two pandas to the US. It would not be surprising that even though it is all messages of goodwill and warm relations, tensions will return when some incidents occur in Asia-Pacific in two weeks. Towards the end of the summit, Biden did call Xi a ‘dictator’.

At the APEC summit, the US and Indonesia elevated their relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This is another Southeast Asian state that has improved their relationship with the US this year, after Vietnam in September. This notes that the US is continuing to seek allies in the region to safeguard international maritime laws and to find ways to counter China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific. However, there was disappointment that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework trade deal fell through due to US domestic/party pressure, even if the deal was more of a symbolic one.

In APEC, Japan, a Pillar, and South Korea continue to improve their ties, this time in regard to startups. The two countries were floating methods to benefit innovation and technology for both regional and global solutions. This is another step in the growing ties between the two countries to counter China’s rise.

In Europe, there were some minor events. France (through its courts) has officially put out an arrest warrant for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for using chemical weapons in 2013. In the UK, somehow, David Cameron returned. Earlier in the week, PM Sunak sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman, but surprisingly brought former PM Cameron in to fill the position.

APEC family photo in San Francisco