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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND BROADBAND DIVIDE

First Session of the AP-IS Steering Committee1 November 2017

ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division ESCAP

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Outline:1. Emerging Trends: Artificial Intelligence2. Digital Divide3. Challenges4. Conclusions

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Landscape3

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Overview• AI = a force behind the fourth Industrial Revolution & a

potential enabler of sustainable development • Explosive growth in research and applications in AI,

particularly in machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and cognitive computing.

• Faster and versatile connectivity provide us with unprecedented opportunities—and challenges—to social, economic and environmental development in AP

• The report “Artificial Intelligence and Broadband Divide: the State of Connectivity in Asia and the Pacific”

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trends

• Upsurge in attention to AI: The region has recently overtaken Europe in the number of innovation centres built and operated, with the region now hosting 29 per cent of all such centres globally, thereby contesting Silicon Valley’s innovation leadership.

• Upsurge in private investment in AI-related services: In the Republic of Korea, SK Telecom announced in early 2017 that it would invest USD 4.2 billion on new businesses based around AI, such as driverless cars and IoT.

• Educational institutions and AI capability: Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, are promoting AI-focused programmes to build an AI talent pool.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Economic Development

• Positive relationship between AI and economic development (GDP) in Asia and the Pacific region.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Investment in R&D

• Positive relationship between quantity (and quality) of AI research and technological absorptive capacity in Asia and the Pacific.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Connectivity

Positive correlation between AI and broadband connectivity

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AI vs Mobile Broadband AI vs Internet Users

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Internet of Things (IoT)9

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Cloud Computing10

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Network Quality Improvement and Fixed Broadband Subscriptions

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Digital Divide by Fixed Broadband Subscriptions

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Digital Divide by Mobile Broadband Subscriptions

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Digital Divide in ESCAP14

Overall digital divide has been reduced but some regions are stuck at low adoption rates

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Social Media Usage15

Social Media usage has a higher correlation with mobile broadband subscriptions than with fixed broadband subscriptions:

0.75 active social media user for every mobile-broadband subscription 3.18 social media users for every fixed-broadband subscription in ESCAP

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Social Media Users and Fixed Broadband Subscriptions16

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Social Media Users and Mobile Broadband Subscriptions17

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Fixed or Mobile Broadband?Mobile broadband subscriptions are growing quicker than fixed broadband

Issues• Technological: Mobile data traffic relies on fixed-

broadband networks.• Financial: 4G Mobile broadband may be unaffordable for

majority in ESCAP

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ChallengesDespite benefits from AI, there are formidable challenges ahead for the majority of ESCAP member countries.

I. Connectivity for AI: Broadband is a prerequisite for AI development and uptake

II. Capacity: Human capacity to recognize and respond to opportunities from AI technology and keep up with the developed world

III. Investment and research in AI: Shift to AI enabling education, infrastructure and investment

IV. Cybersecurity: Vulnerable to data breaches due to increase in the connections of infrastructure and enhanced sophistication assisted by AI.

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Conclusions• Without robust broadband connectivity, the development and

expansion of AI will be difficult.• Need continuous learning in all sectors.• ‘Data’ is considered the new ‘oil’ resource.• Need to put in place measures to mitigate known negative

impacts and foster positive influences of cybersecurity.• Multi-stakeholder cooperation and collaboration is important.• Regional cooperation is important for addressing digital divide

and AI challenges.• AP-IS Project is an important step to participate in and promote

the AI Revolution

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