Presidential Task Force to Promote Artificial Intelligence

COLOMBO: During a recent discussion at the President’s Office, President Ranil Wickremesinghe commented on the potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to contribute to the country’s development.

He 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 highlighted the potential of Artificial Intelligence in various fields, including agriculture, education, health, fisheries, and industry.

The President noted that the current annual contribution to Sri Lanka’s gross national income through computer and information technology is around $1.9 billion, with no known 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.

Expressing his views, the President said,

“We are 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 our country every year.

“I have suggested that we should aim to produce 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.

“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.”