Bhutan and Canada Collaborate to Enhance AI Policy and Governance
THIMPHU – A high-level workshop aimed at strengthening Bhutan’s capacity in Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and governance commenced today in Thimphu.
This initiative follows an initial consultation and features a one-and-a-half-day training session designed to assist policymakers, government officials, and thought leaders in understanding AI’s role in public service, ethics, and cybersecurity.
Bridging Borders through AI
The ‘Bridging Borders through AI’ initiative is a Canadian-led regional program, implemented in partnership with Humber Polytechnic and Social and Media Matters.
Canada’s Deputy Ambassador to Bhutan, Mark Allen, emphasized the importance of the consultation as a platform for shared learning. He stated, “The world is going to be different at the end of these stakeholder consultations from how it was at the beginning.”
While acknowledging Canada’s leadership in AI development, Allen noted that Bhutan’s perspective on mindfulness and Gross National Happiness (GNH) could offer valuable lessons globally. He stressed the need for tradition and modernity to converge, ensuring technology enhances human well-being.
Training Focus and Objectives
The training session aims to:
- Adopt AI safely
- Promote inclusive digital spaces
- Empower youth-led innovation
Mark Allen highlighted the shared goal of ensuring AI contributes to equitable economic growth and addresses global challenges such as climate change, health, and education.
Concerns and Recommendations
Amitabh, an AI safety expert and co-founder of Contrails.AI, remarked on the necessity for Bhutan to embrace AI technology while preserving its cultural context and sovereignty. Stakeholders and educators during the consultation identified an urgent need for frameworks to regulate AI in the education sector.
Participants raised concerns about the digital divide, underscoring the importance of focusing on rural areas to prevent remote communities from falling behind.
Further discussions addressed the energy demands of data centers, which pose a risk to the national power grid if not managed sustainably. The need for robust safety regulations to protect citizens was also explored, particularly in scenarios where individuals might be misled or defrauded by AI tools.
Ali Owayid, an AI expert in education and faculty member at Humber Polytechnic, recommended integrating the implications of data into the national education curriculum. He also shared Canadian best practices on how AI is integrated into immigration, taxation systems, and healthcare. Owayid noted that the successful introduction of AI-driven teaching tools in schools requires alignment with a clear national strategy.
Next Steps
Recommendations from this consultation will be compiled into a white paper to be presented to GovTech by mid-March. According to a GovTech official, this document will serve as a reference for AI governance in Bhutan.
Approximately 40 participants from the government, private sector, and educational institutions are attending the workshop. Similar programs are also being conducted across the region in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India.
