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The Playbook features insights from small states worldwide, highlighting their approaches to AI adoption, governance, and societal impacts and is designed as a living document, which will evolve to reflect ongoing experiences and strategies.
Singapore and Rwanda have launched what is said to be the world's first AI Playbook for Small States, aimed at fostering inclusive global discourse on AI’s potential. Announced by Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, during the UN Summit of the Future (SOTF) Action Day on 22 September 2024 in New York, the Playbook is a compilation of best practices from Digital FOSS members on implementing AI strategies and policies.
First announced at the Asia Tech x Singapore Summit in May 2024, the Playbook was developed by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in collaboration with Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation. Since the start of the year, consultations with Digital FOSS members have addressed common challenges such as limited resources, data access, AI talent, and governance policies.
The Playbook features insights from small states worldwide, highlighting their approaches to AI adoption, governance, and societal impacts. Designed as a living document, it will evolve to reflect ongoing experiences and strategies.
At the moment, the playbook contains four chapters:
- Laying key building blocks
- Driving AI development and use
- Fostering a trusted environment
- Forging global partnerships and cooperation
Beyond economic value, AI holds the potential to uplift societies, contributing to all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Playbook aims to create a community of small states and stakeholders, enabling inclusive dialogue on AI’s transformative potential.
During a panel discussion at the SOTF forum, Minister Teo shared: "I think AI being a general-purpose technology, we all want to benefit from its transformative potential.”
Minister Josephine Teo emphasised the significant role the private sector can play in building capacity, particularly for small states. She noted that while there are many opportunities, there are also risks, raising concerns about whether small states might be left behind in the AI landscape.
She expressed appreciation for the inclusive advisory board established at the UN level, which inspired Singapore to contribute actively to the process. As part of this effort, Singapore's Chief AI Officer was involved, and the entire high-level advisory board was invited to meet in Singapore to engage with the Forum of Small States.
"Now, the result of a process like this is that we now have the ability to adopt the principles articulated in the GDC, to help ourselves as nations. And equally importantly, help each other as small states.
“And in that regard, I am very pleased to note that this process created an opportunity for Singapore and another country that we admire greatly, which is Rwanda, to say: 'How about the both of us come together to create an AI Playbook for Small States?' So that is something that we have done, and I hope that this will help all of us.”
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