By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to enter the Artificial Intelligence international race integrating this extraordinary technology espionage with the country’s ongoing digitization program, top level official sources divulged.
A presidential task force will be formed to promote Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in the country while the government is planning to allocate RS 1 billion for AI technology next year.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has commented on the potential of the most modern technology to contribute to the country’s development, during a recent discussion at the President’s Office.
He has instructed officials from the Ministry of Technology to form a presidential task force comprising AI experts and prepare a concept paper to promote AI usage in the country.
The President noted that the current annual contribution to Sri Lanka’s gross national income through computer and information technology is around US$ 1.9 billion, with an undisclosed amount from AI technology.
He instructed officials to develop a system to track AI contributions. Additionally, he stressed the importance of taking prompt action to increase AI’s contribution to the gross domestic product in the coming years, according to the Presidential Media Division.
“The government has identified the modernization of agriculture and fisheries, tourism, and improvement of supply centers as urgent areas for development in the economic reforms, the President claimed.
As we see the world progressing with artificial intelligence, it is crucial for Sri Lanka to focus on this technology and invest in it.
The government is aiming to create a digital economy and it will require a lot of effort in the coming months.
Fortunately, the government has already prepared the necessary plans. However, it is important to note that only 2500 engineers are produced in the
The President has suggested producing at least 10,000 engineers to meet the demands of the digital age.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, we should consider Singapore and India as role models. It is true that East Asia, South Korea, Japan, and China are making progress in artificial intelligence, but no country in West Asia has reached that stage yet, he added.
This presents a clear opportunity for us, and we must have strategies in place to implement this program promptly. In order to achieve this, we should start by improving university research departments. He pointed out
During the discussion on the integration of AI technology into the wider model of digitization in Sri Lanka, the Minister of State for Technology, Kanaka Herath, and the Secretary of the Ministry, Niranjan Gunawardena, a Senior Professor, shared their views.
The participants focused on the development of infrastructure necessary for related research activities and the latest trends in the field. The scholars who attended the discussion also expressed their views on future steps that need to be taken for the advancement of the field, the PMD said.
