EU-LAC Digital Alliance Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has strong potential to bring societal benefits, economic growth, and enhanced innovation, certain AI systems raise concerns, especially regarding safety, security, and fundamental rights protection.

In this context, international cooperation should prioritise promoting the benefits of AI, such as increased productivity, improved public services, and the development of technological ecosystems. At the same time, attention must be directed towards potential risks, including safety and security, ethical considerations, transparency, and accountability.

The EU's coordinated plan on AI (2021) emphasises global collaboration on trustworthy AI founded on an open value-based approach. Meanwhile, Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are formulating national policies and strategies on AI to cultivate talent, stimulate research and innovation, and establish regulatory frameworks.

The alignment of shared values between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean can facilitate convergence to effectively address these common challenges.

During the EU-LAC Digital Alliance conference held in Cartagena de India from November 27 to 29, 2023, emerging opportunities for EU-LAC cooperation in the field of AI were identified. Agreements were made to continue the discussion at a high and technical level under the framework of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance.

This policy dialogue on AI, co-organised by the European Union and ECLAC, will take place during the preparatory meeting for the Ministerial Conference on the Information Society. The discussions on AI will follow in a second policy dialogue on AI in Santiago de Chile, during the Ministerial in November 2024.

The preparatory meeting will also include an additional session on the EU-LAC Digital Alliance that will focus on connectivity: Connect to Include, Current Challenges in for Meaningful Connectivity (March 14).

To ensure a multi-stakeholder approach to the policy and regulatory discussions the dialogue will bring together senior government officials, representatives from the private sector, civil society and academia from both Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Concrete steps will be agreed on to advance these objectives toward the 2025 EU-CELAC Summit.

In-person attendance to the dialogue is invitation-only. More information on online participation will follow shortly.