Global: Emerging Tech

Editor’s note: This guest blog, authored by James Fisk of the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, is a case study in the creation of Rules as Code. James is part of the GovTech Talent Digital Graduate Programme, which is a 24-month programme where graduates rotate across three different government agencies. Rules as Code is a topic that OPSI is currently exploring through its draft Innovation Primer. Cracking the Code: Rulemaking for...

Recently, OPSI released its third Innovation Primer on Rules as Code (RaC) for public consultation. Cracking the Code: Rulemaking for humans and machines seeks to provide a clear, understandable introduction to an emerging and sometimes complex topic. It explores the concept’s potential and likely benefits, as well as its challenges and limitations. On Tuesday 16 June 2020, we, the authors, James Mohun and Alex Roberts, will host an informal online meet-up about the Primer. The...

Today we’re seeking your help in finalising our Rules as Code primer – “Cracking the code: Rulemaking for humans and machines”. We’re seeking feedback until 24 June, with the hope of finalising the report for release in late July or early August.  In November 2019, OPSI commenced work on a new Innovation Primer focused on the exciting concept of Rules as Code (RaC). At the time, we wrote that ‘Rules as Code presents a new approach to…

“Everyone is afraid of making a mistake. Everyone is afraid of the consequence of error, but the greatest error is not to move. The greatest error is to be paralysed by the fear of failure.”– Dr Michael Ryan, WHO Executive Director, WHO Press Conference (13/03/2019) The stakes for innovation have never been higher, the risk of failing has never felt greater. Whenever an organisation innovates they are always taking a step into the unknown, with...

The OECD is working with a blockchain expert on research on the uncertain promise of blockchain for government. As part of the research, we are interested in collecting public sector experiences on 1) successful government blockchain projects that have moved to the implementation phase and have users; 2) interesting government blockchain projects that will be implemented in the near future; and 3) stories and lessons learned from projects that did not reach the implementation phase...

Last week, OPSI released the “Hello, World: Artificial Intelligence and its use in the Public Sector” primer on AI. This followed our first innovation primer, “Blockchains Unchained”, and explores how this much-hyped but highly complex area can be better understood by practitioners. It also helps to empower individuals seeking to implement AI in a government context, by giving them knowledge of key opportunities, challenges, and lessons learnt from around the globe. In 2020, we’re…

Today, we’re excited to formally launch the final version of OPSI’s AI primer: Hello, World: Artificial Intelligence and its Use in the Public Sector. “Hello, World!” is often the very first computer program written by someone learning how to code, and we want this primer to be able to help public officials take their first steps in exploring AI. The primer is the result of 10 months of research and analysis focused specifically on the...

This paper includes guidance to help governments learn about and explore AI in an effective and ethical way. Governments can use AI to design better policies and make better decisions, improve communication and engagement with citizens and residents, and improve the speed and quality of public services. While the potential benefits of AI are significant, attaining them is not an easy task.

We are looking for a consultant to write a paper on the uncertain promise of blockchain in government, covering success factors for projects that still show promise, and lessons learned from those that have not met expectations. We plan to publish the paper as an official OECD working paper, with author credit provided to the selected individual. If interested, e-mail us at [email protected] with statement of interest and a resume or CV by 1 November....

This article originally appeared on Apolitical.co That hypnotically red eye. That eerily meticulous, methodical, and measured voice. For decades, HAL 9000, the sentient computer and antagonist extraordinaire in Stanley Kubrik’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, or the gun-wielding, cyborg assassin the Terminator, have become pop culture’s shorthand for Artificial Intelligence (AI), in all its potential and potential malfeasance. Perhaps because these kinds of depictions of AI are so…