On 19 February, the Commission unveiled its vision for a digital transformation that works for everyone. This includes a White Paper (PDF) proposing a framework for Artificial Intelligence based on excellence and trust.
One particular challenge identified by the Commission is the extremely fast development of AI. Policymakers are struggling to monitor the AI landscape and analyze its uptake and impact to know where and how their intervention could tip the balance towards desirable outcomes for society.
In 2018, the Commission already published the European strategy for Artificial Intelligence followed by the Coordinated Action Plan on Artificial Intelligence to join forces with Member States for its successful implementation.
In December 2018 - as one measure of the action plan, the European Commission launched AI Watch, its own knowledge service to monitor the development, uptake and impact of Artificial Intelligence in Europe. Coordinated by the Commission’s digital policy department, Directorate General CONNECT and its science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre, AI Watch provides analyses to monitor and facilitate the implementation of the European Strategy for AI.
Now the European Commission and the OECD have agreed to cooperate and combine forces to provide more analytical resources for policy makers and ensure that the information supplied by the AI Watch and the OECD AI Policy Observatory (OECD.AI) is harmonized, consistent and up-to-date.
The first phase of the collaboration has focused on building a database of national AI strategies and policies. In the context of the Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence, EU Member States committed to put national AI strategies in place to align their policies and investment in AI.
The next phase will focus on making AI Watch reports and other EC publications available on the OECD AI Policy Observatory, sharing data more extensively and collaborating more closely on the design of improved methodologies for data collection.
AI Watch and OECD.AI will together provide a wealth of information on trends in research and development, jobs and skills, and the latest AI news, as well as a repository of more than 300 AI policies and strategies from nearly 60 countries. Developed in cooperation between the two institutions, the repository covers policies and initiatives across a range of areas – from education and skills to health and transport – to enable policy makers and stakeholders to share and learn from each other’s experiences, monitor progress, and identify good practices.