G7 Tech and Digital Ministerial Meeting to be held on 15 October in Cernobbio

The Italian Presidency promotes the safe, secure and trustworthy development, deployment, and use of Artificial Intelligence systems with a particular focus on the use of AI in the public sector, in accordance with shared G7 values. Furthermore, the goal of the meeting is to share good practices in digital public services and to identify commonalities in digital identity approaches on the international scene.

The Italian Presidency Department for Digital Transformation has coordinated the work of the G7 Digital & Technology Working Group (D&T WG) to advance global cooperation in this area. The resulting documents will be published following the Ministerial Meeting in Cernobbio.

Toolkit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Public Sector 

AI is one of the most intriguing and promising fields of innovation and has the potential to dramatically improve our lives. The development, deployment, and use of all AI systems, however, need to respect the democratic values of G7 countries, protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In the framework of the D&T WG, the Italian Presidency developed a Toolkit to enable the ethical development, deployment, and use of AI applications in the public sector. The Toolkit is designed to highlight trends, policy frameworks and multiple AI enablers within G7 members. It aims to share good practices and priority interventions to support the development, deployment, and use of AI in environments that are secure, safe, and trustworthy with a special focus on the implementation within the public sector.

Reporting Framework and Pilot for the Hiroshima AI Process (HAIP) – International Code of Conduct

To ensure continuity with the work of the Japanese G7 Presidency in 2023, the Italian Presidency committed to complement the Hiroshima AI Process Comprehensive Policy Framework (HAIP) by developing a Reporting Framework, an integral part of the Hiroshima Process International Code of Conduct for Organizations Developing Advanced AI Systems (HAIP CoC). The Presidency developed a draft Reporting Framework and launched a pilot from July 19 to September 6, 2024, with the support of the OECD and the contribution of 20 organizations across ten countries with a true stakeholder perspective. The results will be presented in a Report that will inform the final Reporting Framework to be finalized in the next months.

Compendium of Digital Government Systems

A robust digital public infrastructure facilitates an easy, user-friendly and secure access to essential public services, enables resilience and fosters social inclusion. The Presidency has developed a Compendium on Digital Government Systems, in close cooperation with the OECD, sharing examples of how G7 governments are approaching and leveraging digital public infrastructure.

Mapping Exercise of Digital Identity Approaches

Digital identity plays a crucial role in fostering a secure, inclusive, and efficient digital transformation by enabling individuals and businesses to prove their identity and share verified information through digital means. The rising demand for digital services across the public and private sector, along with concerns about digital exclusion, cybersecurity threats, and the misuse of personal data, underscore the need for well-designed digital identity systems supported by appropriate governance frameworks. While traditional forms of identification and authentication means like physical identity cards, passports and passwords remain significant, they alone are insufficient to address the complexities of today’s digital landscape. The goal of the Report is to identify commonalities in digital identity approaches among G7 members to inform future work within the G7 and other international fora.