Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has called on the US company Google to cooperate more actively with Latvia in the digital field and artificial intelligence (AI), the President’s Chancellery informed LETA.
Today, Rinkevics met with Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs of Alphabet and its subsidiary Google, in Davos, to discuss cooperation with Latvian companies and safe development of artificial intelligence.
The president appreciated Google’s contribution to strengthening the digital and cybersecurity capabilities of Latvian society and businesses. Rinkevics highlighted the innovations of Latvian start-ups, including in the field of artificial intelligence, and called on Google to expand its programs and cooperation. Latvia has many good examples of how to use AI to strengthen innovation, Rinkevics said.
Google can be a good partner to support the growth of such companies, he added.
The parties agreed to evaluate the expansion of the company’s presence in the Baltic states and to support the potential of Latvian entrepreneurs in digital and artificial intelligence.
Appreciating the potential of artificial intelligence to improve the quality of life and well-being, the president noted the need to develop AI systems in a safe and thoughtful way.
We need to work together to create a regulatory framework that, on the one hand, ensures fair and transparent use of AI and, on the other hand, does not stifle the development of innovation, Rinkevics said.
Officials agreed that AI is too important to be unregulated and too important to be regulated in an unreasonable and excessive way.
The president also mentioned the use of AI in electioneering and in influencing democratic processes as an important aspect that needs attention.
“With the help of artificial intelligence, it is possible to create audiovisual material that is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish from reality. The world has already seen cases of the misuse of modern technology in election campaigns. Therefore, voters have the right to know if artificial intelligence has been used in the preparation of election campaigning material,” Rinkevics stressed.
Source: BNS
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