Page 67 - The Annual AI Governance Report 2025 Steering the Future of AI

The Annual AI Governance Report 2025: Steering the Future of AI

7’000 islands: prioritizing robust connectivity through national broadband and free public Wi-
Fi programs in public spaces, public schools, health centers etc. – 73% of the Philippines are
connected to the Internet.

Figure 12: Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, Director, Department of Information and
Communications Technology, Philippines; Lacina Koné, Director General and Chief
Executive Officer, Smart Africa
Ms Šovienė (Lithuania) highlighted the critical role of language in AI development and that
it is the responsibility of smaller nations to actively contribute data in their own languages, as
this will ultimately shape the language of AI. She also envisioned a future where seniors in small
towns could easily find assistance with digital and AI tools, ensuring broad inclusion.

Quotes:
• “How these [AI] technologies fail in different parts of the world is a really attenuated
concern and it's not a concern that can be answered by one group of people with
one distinct kind of worldview.” (Rachel Adams, Director, African Observatory on
Responsible AI)
• “I think we cannot deal with these complex issues if we don't bring in the collective
wisdom of our societies and the agency of our societies. So why not create a 4th
branch of government, a deliberative [branch], using AI […] where citizens can
deliberate on all the laws and policies which we are discussing as politicians,
where they have a voice. Where algorithms allow for real debate, not bullying, not
polarization, but real debate, but also consensus building. Where everybody has
a voice but one voice,” [George Papandreou]
• “We are prioritizing digital inclusion for rural communities, indigenous people
…, and youth specifically.” (Hubert Vargas Picado, Vice Minister, Ministerio de
Ciencia, Innovación, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones, Costa Rica)
• "The Philippines is composed of more than 7000 islands ... it's about bringing
opportunities, digital literacy, connectivity to people outside of the [metropolitan
areas]." (Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, Director, Department of Information and
Communications Technology, Philippines)

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