by Editor | Sep 24, 2023 | News
On September 22, 2023 the Boston Global Forum and MIT Connection Science discussed with the CEO of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Huynh Quang Liem, to explore the creation of a national data center and data economy in Vietnam. This collaboration marks a significant stride toward harnessing the power of data for prosperity and security.
The meeting, featuring distinguished guests and experts, including Thomas Hardjono, Technical Director of MIT Connection Science, delved into key aspects of establishing a national data center and how this endeavor can revolutionize Vietnam’s approach to data governance and utilization.
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
- Areas of Research:
The national data center’s research areas encompass a broad spectrum, including computational social science, data privacy, privacy-preserving computations, generative AI, large language models, web3 technologies, digital identity, tokenized assets, and network and cybersecurity.
- The Three Critical Components:
The success of this initiative hinges on three core components: capital, labor, and data. While capital represents the means of production, citizens’ trust in data and the AI economy is paramount. Citizens want control over their data and trust in the outcomes derived from it.
- Building Trust:
To establish trust in the data ecosystem, the meeting proposed several measures, including data ownership rights, enabling individuals to have their copies of data, and the creation of community institutions that actively interact with citizens.
- Tackling the Data Literacy Challenge:
One of the challenges identified was the average citizen’s limited ability to understand and interpret data effectively. The meeting explored innovative solutions, such as data co-ops and unions, regional councils, and data banks, to empower citizens to collectively analyze and make sense of data.
- Data Banks as a Model:
The meeting highlighted the potential of data banks, similar to credit unions, where members collectively pool data resources. This model could provide more accessibility to data analytics for citizens.
- Deriving Insights from Data:
The discussion touched on the importance of enabling external parties to derive valuable insights from the data housed in the national data center. Initiatives like MIT Living Lab in South Australia, which focuses on monetizing data in a privacy-preserving way, served as an example of a sustainable model.
- Understanding Disinformation:
The meeting considered the role of analytics in understanding and combating disinformation, citing examples like China amplifying Russian disinformation and instances of financial rumors causing significant market disruptions.
- Zero Trust Network Security:
In the context of evolving network security paradigms, the meeting examined the concept of zero trust network security and its relevance to safeguarding data.
The collaboration between BGF, MIT Connection Science, and VNPT represents a significant step toward building a national data center that will not only drive economic growth but also empower citizens to actively participate in the data-driven economy. With data as the new currency of the digital age, this initiative holds the potential to transform Vietnam’s digital landscape and establish it as a leader in responsible data governance and utilization.
As discussions progress, BGF, MIT Connection Science, and VNPT will continue to engage with stakeholders to explore opportunities for collaboration and the creation of a data ecosystem that benefits all.
VNPT CEO Huynh Quang Liem, and delegation at MIT Connection Science
by Editor | Sep 17, 2023 | News
Minh Nguyen is the Editor of the Boston Global Forum and a Shinzo Abe Initiative Fellow. She writes the Four Pillars column in the BGF Weekly newsletter.
While there were no major events this week, there were still a handful of developments in the space of the Four Pillars. Let us visit them in this segment:
European Commission President and BGF 2020 World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipient Ursula von der Leyen launched an investigation into Chinese electric vehicles. Critics deride this move as a protectionist hindrance and one backed by the European auto industry, but it is worth noting that Chinese EVs have been heavily subsidized by the government. This investigation could also invite retaliation from Beijing. This move should be seen in the light of rising tensions and distrust between the EU and China, as the Union seeks to develop a plan to move away from dependence with the East Asian power.
Furthermore, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock labeled Xi Jinping as “dictator,” adding that Europe must cut down on its dependence with China – not fully de-couple, but de-risk. In an interview with Bloomberg, she backed the Commission’s investigation into the Chinese EVs subsidies.
Remember the Chinese Spy Balloon incident in February this year? It is now reported that China has suspended its spy balloon program after the incident, which led Anthony Blinken to cancel his visit. It is unclear how long this suspension will last though, if it is merely a token concession as the program becomes public knowledge. In the same vein, it is revealed that the balloon was not intentionally flying over continental North America, but rather its target was Hawaii. And once the US was made aware of its presence, it was no longer capable of sending data back due to jamming.
There is a development worth keeping an eye on: the “disappearance” of two Chinese cabinet ministers in recent months. Foreign minister Qin Gang mysteriously disappeared and was replaced this summer. Less than two months later, the defense minister Li Shangfu met a similar fate. It appears that Xi’s grip on the state apparatus in China is tightening even further, perhaps in anticipation of an invasion of Taiwan.
Minh Nguyen
Read more about these topics:
- [Politico EU] Von der Leyen hits China with electric vehicle subsidy probe
- [The Telegraph] Brussels launches fightback against cheap Chinese electric cars flooding Europe
- [Politico EU] Germany’s Baerbock calls China’s Xi Jinping a dictator
- [Bloomberg] Europe Must Cut Down on Its Dependence With China, Baerbock Says
- [CNN] China appears to have suspended spy balloon program after February shootdown, US intel believes
- [CBS News] The bizarre secret behind China’s spy balloon
- [Financial Times] Then there were two: disappearance of second Chinese minister sparks speculation
Credit: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg | Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, highlighted the threat Chinese auto subsidies pose to EU manufacturing
by Editor | Sep 17, 2023 | Global Alliance for Digital Governance
Some Japanese researchers feel that AI systems trained on foreign languages cannot grasp the intricacies of Japanese language and culture.
Japan is building its own versions of ChatGPT — the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot made by US firm OpenAI that became a worldwide sensation after it was unveiled just under a year ago.
The Japanese government and big technology firms such as NEC, Fujitsu and SoftBank are sinking hundreds of millions of dollars into creating AI systems that are based on the same underlying technology, known as large language models (LLMs), but that use the Japanese language, rather than translations of the English version.
“Current public LLMs, such as GPT, excel in English, but often fall short in Japanese due to differences in the alphabet system, limited data and other factors,” says Keisuke Sakaguchi, a researcher at Tohoku University in Japan who specializes in natural language processing.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02868-z
Boston Global Forum contributed the concept of AI-Government for G7-Summit 2019 as a part of AI World Society, and AIWS was recognized by the Civil 20-G20 Communique, India July, 2023.
AI World Society introduced AIWS Assistants and Framework for Global Governance of AI at BGF High-level Conference on Global Governance of AI at Harvard University Faculty Club on April 26, 2023.
The Japanese supercomputer Fugaku has been put to work digesting Japanese texts in order to develop a Japanese version of ChatGPT.Credit: Kyodo News via Getty
by Editor | Sep 17, 2023 | News
The Boston Global Forum announces its upcoming celebration on October 3, 2023, where we will bestow the prestigious World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2023 upon the Esteemed humanitarian and spiritual leader, Amma. This ceremony will not only honor her contributions to peace and security but also celebrate her 70th birthday.
The award ceremony will be a focal point of Amma’s 70th birthday celebration, a momentous occasion attended by dignitaries, leaders, and well-wishers from around the world. This dual celebration is a testament to Amma’s lifelong commitment to serving humanity and fostering a more compassionate world.
Additionally, during this event, the Boston Global Forum will announce the establishment of the “Amma House” within the prestigious House of Honor at AIWS City.
Amma’s legacy of selfless service and her dedication to the betterment of humanity are values that align with the core principles of the Boston Global Forum and AIWS City. The Amma House will serve as a symbol of her enduring influence and a beacon of inspiration for future generations committed to creating a more peaceful and secure world.
The Boston Global Forum looks forward to celebrating Amma’s remarkable journey, her 70th birthday, and her indelible contributions to peace and security on October 3, 2023. It is an occasion to honor a true global luminary and to reaffirm our shared commitment to the ideals she embodies.
Link: https://bostonglobalforum.org/news/the-mata-amritanandamayi-math/
by Editor | Sep 11, 2023 | News
Minh Nguyen is the Editor of the Boston Global Forum and a Shinzo Abe Initiative Fellow. She writes the Four Pillars column in the BGF Weekly newsletter.
Note: We at BGF introduce to you a new section in BGF Weekly – the Four Pillars. It will cover global security, focused on the Four Pillars of the US, the EU, Japan, and India.
The G20 Summit, hosted in Delhi, India, was attended by President Biden. He would pitch the idea of a global alliance of democracies over the authoritarian systems of China to not just friendlier states of the EU and NATO, but also developing countries, who may not have been as receptive. Biden was also able to reach a compromise with G20 nations on a stronger communique on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which while did not produce the strongest condemnation of Russia, was a minor concession.
India, the host of the summit, also took the opportunity to stake its claim as the leader of the Global South, as Xi Jinping was absent in what many consider to be a boycott of the event. The US backed this effort in a statement supporting India with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Japan, another Pillar and an attendee at the summit, backs India in this rivalry too.
Biden also seized on the opportunity for a photo op with leaders of Brazil, India, South Africa, taking advantage of Xi Jinping’s absence. This indicates a signaling that the US have been making inroads with members of the so-called BRICS bloc, which seeks to rival US economic influence.
Furthermore, Biden visited Vietnam in a trip that elevated the two countries’ relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest status (other countries with the status are Russia, China, India, and South Korea).
Overall, these events signal a development in the strengthening of relations between the Four Pillars. While the headline is to be the deepening of American-Indian cooperation, it also involves India’s play to overtake China as “leader of the Global South,” and Japan’s support for India in this endeavor. With the strengthening of connection between the Pillars, as shown by these events, it leads to one further step towards a global alliance of democracy.
Minh Nguyen
Read more about these topics:
- [President Biden on Twitter] Together, the United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa reaffirm our shared commitment to the G20 – delivering solutions for our shared world.
- [The White House] Joint Statement from India and the United States
- [Politico] At G-20 and in Vietnam, Biden to sell American partnerships — all at China’s expense
- [Bloomberg] India’s G-20 Win Shows US Learning How to Counter China Rise
- [The Hindu] At G-20, Japan backs India, not China, as bridge to Global South: Japanese experts
- [Nikkei Asia] U.S. upgrades Vietnam ties as Biden blasts China for ‘changing rules’
