Capacity development Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Africa’s digital diplomacy in the AI era: Building a common voice for global digital governance

Africa’s place in an evolving digital governance landscape

As AI, cybersecurity, and digital technologies become increasingly central to international policymaking, African countries are seeking to strengthen their role in shaping global digital governance. Questions of representation, digital sovereignty, capacity development, and regional coordination are becoming more prominent as governments prepare for negotiations on AI governance, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and internet governance.

These issues formed the focus of a recent Diplo webinar on Cyber Diplomacy in Africa: Regional, National and Continental Initiatives, moderated by Mwende Njiraini, African Initiative Coordinator at Diplo and Chair of the ITU-T Study Group 17 Regional Group for Africa on security. The discussion brought together policymakers, diplomats, academics, and regional organisations to examine how African interests can be more effectively represented in international digital governance processes.

Speakers included Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of Diplo and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform, Dr Katherine Getao, consultant on cyber diplomacy and former CEO of Kenya’s ICT Authority, Ambassador Prof. Bitange Ndemo, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Nairobi and former Kenyan Ambassador to the European Union, Meriem Slimani, Development Director at the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), and Tapera Henry Chinemhute of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretariat.

Although the discussion focused on Africa, many of the issues raised, including AI governance, digital sovereignty, capacity development, and multistakeholder cooperation, reflect broader challenges facing digital governance worldwide.

From cyber diplomacy to diplomacy in the AI era

Opening the discussion, Kurbalija suggested that the distinction between cyber diplomacy, digital diplomacy, and technology diplomacy is becoming less significant as digital technologies permeate virtually every area of international relations. Rather than focusing on terminology, he argued that the central question is how countries, communities, and citizens represent their interests in an increasingly digital world.

‘Cyber diplomacy, digital diplomacy, or AI diplomacy is ultimately diplomacy. It is about representing interests, negotiating, and finding common solutions.’, he said.

According to Kurbalija, technological developments are no longer confined to specialised policy discussions. AI, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and data governance increasingly influence trade, security, education, healthcare, humanitarian action, and economic development, making digital issues part of mainstream diplomacy.

This evolution also raises questions about whether Africa is sufficiently represented in international discussions shaping the future of digital technologies.

Kurbalija noted that African diplomats are becoming more active in negotiations related to AI, cybersecurity, and internet governance, but argued that stronger participation will be necessary to ensure that the continent’s priorities are reflected in emerging international frameworks.

He pointed to several forthcoming international meetings, including the AI for Good Global Summit, the AI Governance Dialogue, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 process in Geneva, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2026 in Nairobi, as important opportunities for African governments, civil society organisations, academia, and the technical community to contribute to global discussions.

Rather than approaching these meetings individually, Kurbalija encouraged participants to prepare coordinated positions that reflect African priorities across different policy areas.

Regional coordination remains a work in progress

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the gap between continental ambitions and national implementation.

Introducing the session, Dr Katherine Getao observed that African countries have participated in international digital governance processes for several decades through the UN, the African Union (AU), and regional organisations including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), COMESA, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC).

However, she questioned whether these processes consistently translate into practical outcomes across the continent.

To illustrate this point, Getao presented the results of a live audience poll measuring familiarity with African digital governance initiatives. While approximately half of the participants recognised the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (the Malabo Convention), significantly fewer were familiar with other continental initiatives, including the AU Digital Transformation Strategy and the African Union’s position on international law in cyberspace.

The findings suggested that awareness of Africa’s existing digital governance architecture remains uneven, even among participants engaged in digital policy discussions.

Ambassador Bitange Ndemo argued that implementation presents an even greater challenge than awareness. He observed that agreements adopted at the African Union level often take considerable time to influence national policymaking, with countries frequently developing their own legal and regulatory approaches rather than building on common continental frameworks.

Using the Malabo Convention as an example, Ndemo suggested that many governments introduced separate data protection legislation without fully integrating broader continental approaches. According to him, one contributing factor is reliance on external funding for many regional digital initiatives.

‘If we continue depending on external partners to finance our priorities, ownership becomes more difficult’, Ndemo added.

Ndemo argued that stronger African investment in digital governance initiatives would improve both implementation and long-term sustainability.

Getao echoed this concern, noting that important achievements at the continental level do not always ‘percolate’ effectively to national implementation.

Building common African positions

Despite these challenges, speakers highlighted several examples of growing regional coordination.

Meriem Slimani described how the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has worked to strengthen cooperation among member states in preparing common African positions for international telecommunications negotiations.

When she joined the organisation in 2015, Slimani recalled, many countries submitted proposals independently at international meetings, often without consulting neighbouring states.

ATU responded by creating a coordination platform through which member countries discuss priorities, identify common interests, exchange experiences, and gradually develop shared positions before major international conferences.

‘Our objective has been to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice where common interests exist.’

According to Slimani, this collaborative approach has become particularly important in preparation for major meetings of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where coordinated regional positions can strengthen Africa’s influence during negotiations.

Tapera Henry Chinemhute offered a complementary perspective from COMESA.

While acknowledging that implementation challenges remain, he argued that progress has been more visible in some sectors than others.

In particular, COMESA has advanced several practical digital trade initiatives, including electronic trade documentation, digital logistics systems, electronic certificates of origin, and simplified digital trade procedures designed to facilitate cross-border commerce.

Governance issues such as cybersecurity and cybercrime, however, have generally progressed more slowly because they often involve more politically sensitive discussions and require broader legal coordination among participating states.

Chinemhute suggested that smaller regional organisations can sometimes move more quickly than continental institutions because they involve fewer actors and more focused policy priorities.

Looking ahead

While speakers approached Africa’s digital future from different institutional and regional perspectives, several common priorities emerged throughout the discussion. These included strengthening Africa’s participation in global digital governance processes, improving coordination among national, regional, and continental initiatives, investing in capacity development, and ensuring that digital policies reflect local realities and priorities.

The discussion also highlighted that digital governance extends beyond technology. Questions of AI, cybersecurity, connectivity, language, education, and financing were presented as interconnected challenges that require cooperation among governments, regional organisations, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

As international discussions on AI and digital governance continue through forums such as the AI for Good Global Summit, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 process, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), speakers stressed that African participation will be most effective when supported by coordinated regional positions and sustained investment in local expertise and digital capabilities.

Ultimately, the webinar underscored that Africa’s role in shaping the future of digital governance will depend not only on engagement in international negotiations but also on translating continental ambitions into practical national implementation and ensuring that African perspectives contribute to global debates on AI, cybersecurity, and digital development.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

TEQSA backs GenAI learning reform in Australia

Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency has published a paper on how higher education institutions can assure quality learning in a future shaped by generative AI.

The paper, ‘Assuring quality learning in a GenAI-integrated future: The role of adaptive capabilities’, argues that universities need to rethink how they define, assess and evidence student learning as generative AI becomes embedded in education.

The authors say generative AI and automated decision-making systems challenge traditional approaches to academic integrity and assessment. Rather than focusing only on securing final submissions, institutions should clarify what students need to learn in AI-integrated environments and how that learning can be demonstrated.

The paper identifies adaptive capabilities as central to graduate learning. These include digital literacy, distributed cognition, hybrid metacognition and life-long learning, grounded in disciplinary knowledge and supported by student agency and regulation.

The authors warn that narrow AI literacy may not be enough, as operational skills linked to current tools can quickly become outdated. Adaptive capabilities can help students evaluate new technologies, use AI ethically and continue learning as systems evolve.

The paper also highlights risks linked to generative AI, including overreliance on AI-generated explanations, reduced effortful learning and excessive cognitive offloading. It says higher education should preserve practices that support deeper learning, such as retrieval practice, spaced revision and generating answers before receiving explanations.

Assessment reform is a major theme. The paper calls for greater attention to evidence of learning processes rather than only to final products. Possible approaches include portfolios, learning journey documentation, reflective tasks, trace data and structured self-assessments.

TEQSA says the paper is not prescriptive and does not form part of its formal guidance notes. Instead, it is intended to support institutional thinking about how quality assurance may need to change as generative AI becomes a normal part of higher education.

Why does it matter?

Generative AI is weakening the reliability of product-based assessment, especially when final essays, reports, or problem solutions are produced or heavily shaped by AI tools. TEQSA’s focus on adaptive capabilities points towards a different quality assurance model: one that values student judgement, process evidence, ethical AI use and deep disciplinary understanding. That matters for universities because they will increasingly need to prove not only that students produced work, but that they learned, reasoned and exercised agency while using AI.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UN to honour digital and AI-powered public service innovations

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) will honour 12 public sector initiatives at the 2026 UN Public Service Awards for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through more inclusive, transparent and participatory public services.

The awards attracted more than 700 applications from 62 countries and recognise projects ranging from digital document verification and public procurement monitoring to improving education access and supporting coastal women.

According to UN DESA, several winning initiatives leverage digital government tools, information and communication technologies (ICTs) and AI to improve service delivery and strengthen public administration capacity.

The awards ceremony will be held during the UN Public Service Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia, following the commemoration of UN Public Service Day.

Why does it matter?

The awards highlight how governments are increasingly using digital technologies and AI to improve public service delivery, strengthen administrative capacity and advance sustainable development objectives. From digital verification systems to more transparent procurement processes, technology is becoming an important tool for making public institutions more efficient, accountable and accessible.

The initiative also demonstrates the growing role of digital transformation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. By recognising successful public-sector innovations from around the world, the awards provide examples of how governments can use technology to address social, economic and governance challenges while promoting inclusion, transparency and citizen participation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Geneva at the centre of AI governance: Where technology, diplomacy, and humanity converge

Geneva’s growing role in the AI era

As AI reshapes economies, societies, and governance systems worldwide, Geneva is increasingly emerging as one of the most important global centres for discussions on the future of digital technologies.

In a recent interview, Diplo Executive Director Jovan Kurbalija described Geneva as a place where multiple dimensions of AI governance intersect. From technical standards and international trade to human rights, humanitarian action, and diplomacy, the city hosts institutions and processes that shape how digital technologies are developed, governed, and used worldwide.

According to Kurbalija, a significant share of global discussions on AI and digital governance takes place within a relatively small area surrounding Geneva’s international district. The concentration of international organisations, diplomatic missions, standards-setting bodies, and expert communities has positioned the city as a unique meeting point for addressing the opportunities and challenges associated with AI.

A hub for global digital governance

Geneva’s importance in digital governance stems largely from the presence of international organisations whose work directly affects the digital ecosystem.

Among them is the World Trade Organization (WTO), which plays a role in shaping the global rules governing trade, supply chains, e-commerce, and the international movement of goods and services that underpin the digital economy. Decisions and discussions within the WTO influence the broader environment in which digital technologies are produced, exchanged, and deployed.

Another key institution is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies. ITU has long served as a forum for international cooperation on telecommunications and digital technologies, and today plays an increasingly prominent role in discussions related to AI and digital governance.

Geneva is also home to major international standards organisations, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). These organisations develop technical standards that enable digital devices, networks, and systems to function together across borders and industries.

Although often invisible to users, technical standards play a fundamental role in ensuring interoperability, connectivity, and trust in digital systems. As AI technologies become more integrated into everyday life, standards are expected to play an increasingly important role in areas such as safety, transparency, and accountability.

From Frankenstein to AI: Geneva’s intellectual legacy

Kurbalija also highlighted a less visible but equally important dimension of Geneva’s role in AI governance, its intellectual and historical heritage.

He referred to what Diplo describes as the EspriTech de Genève, the intersection between technological developments and ideas that have emerged from thinkers associated with Geneva throughout history.

One of the most notable examples is Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein near Lake Geneva in 1816. Often regarded as one of the earliest works of science fiction, the novel explores the relationship between creators and their creations, raising questions about responsibility, unintended consequences, and the limits of human control.

More than two centuries later, similar questions continue to shape contemporary debates on AI governance. Discussions surrounding increasingly capable AI systems frequently return to concerns about human oversight, accountability, and the potential consequences of technologies that may act in ways not fully anticipated by their creators.

Adult, Male, Man, Person, Accessories, Glasses, Formal Wear, Tie, Body Part, Finger, Hand, Clothing, Suit, Coat

Kurbalija also pointed to the work of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, whose reflections on knowledge, information, and human cognition continue to resonate in an era characterised by large-scale data processing and machine-generated content.

The intellectual traditions associated with Geneva provide a broader context for understanding contemporary AI debates, linking present-day governance questions to longer-standing discussions about technology, knowledge, and humanity.

Geneva as a centre for AI diplomacy

Beyond its historical and institutional significance, Geneva has become an increasingly active venue for international discussions on AI governance.

The city hosts a growing number of meetings, conferences, and policy dialogues dedicated to the governance of AI and other emerging technologies. Among the most prominent is the annual AI for Good Summit, organised by ITU in partnership with other UN agencies and stakeholders. The event brings together governments, international organisations, researchers, private sector representatives, and civil society to explore the societal implications of AI and identify opportunities for international cooperation.

Geneva also hosts a range of other initiatives focused on AI governance, including policy dialogues, expert consultations, and multistakeholder discussions addressing issues such as human rights, health, humanitarian action, sustainable development, trade, and technical standards.

According to Kurbalija, AI is now on the agenda of many international organisations based in Geneva. Whether addressing healthcare, humanitarian assistance, trade, education, telecommunications, or development, institutions increasingly examine how AI affects their respective mandates and policy objectives.

This growing presence reflects the recognition that AI is not solely a technological issue. Instead, it spans multiple policy domains, requiring coordination among technical experts, policymakers, diplomats, regulators, and affected communities.

Reducing ‘lost in translation’ in AI governance

As AI discussions become more widespread, one challenge frequently identified by policymakers and international organisations is the gap between technological developments and policy understanding.

Kurbalija argues that many stakeholders remain ‘lost in translation’ when trying to understand the implications of AI. Technical terminology, rapidly evolving technologies, and complex governance debates often create barriers for diplomats, policymakers, and officials who are expected to make decisions about AI despite not having technical backgrounds.

To address this challenge, Diplo combines research, capacity development, and practical experimentation.

The organisation conducts research on both the historical roots of AI-related thinking and contemporary governance challenges. At the same time, it develops tools and educational programmes designed to help policymakers better understand the technology and its implications.

A central component of this effort is Diplo’s AI Apprenticeship programme.

Rather than teaching AI solely through theory, the programme encourages participants to learn by building AI applications themselves. Diplomats and officials from different countries work directly with AI tools, gaining practical experience with concepts such as neural networks, large language models (LLMs), and AI systems development.

According to Kurbalija, direct engagement with AI technologies allows participants to move beyond abstract discussions and develop a more practical understanding of how these systems function and where their limitations lie.

Where technology meets humanity

Kurbalija described Geneva as a place where several distinct but interconnected forces converge.

The first is the technological dimension, represented by organisations working on telecommunications, standards, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies.

The second is the historical and intellectual dimension, reflected in the ideas of thinkers associated with Geneva and the broader region, whose work continues to inform contemporary discussions about technology and society.

The third is the diplomatic dimension. Geneva remains one of the world’s most active centres of multilateral diplomacy, hosting permanent missions and representatives from nearly every country. Discussions in Geneva frequently shape global approaches to issues ranging from trade and humanitarian affairs to digital governance and AI.

The fourth is what Kurbalija describes as the human dimension. Many Geneva-based institutions focus on protecting and advancing human welfare through work on human rights, humanitarian action, health, labour, migration, and development.

Together, these dimensions create an environment in which technological innovation can be discussed alongside its social, ethical, economic, and political implications.

Looking ahead

As governments, international organisations, and societies continue to grapple with the opportunities and risks associated with AI, Geneva’s role as a centre for digital governance is likely to become increasingly significant.

The city’s unique combination of technical expertise, standards-setting institutions, diplomatic networks, and human-centred governance traditions provides a platform for addressing complex questions that no single actor or sector can solve alone.

For Kurbalija, this convergence of technology, diplomacy, and humanity represents one of Geneva’s defining characteristics. In a period marked by rapid technological change and growing uncertainty, the city continues to serve as a place where different perspectives can meet to shape the future of AI governance.

As debates around AI evolve, Geneva is likely to remain one of the key venues where those discussions are translated into international cooperation, governance frameworks, and practical solutions with global impact.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Oxford and UCL to lead UK-funded labs on next-generation AI

The UK government has announced two new AI research labs led by University College London and the University of Oxford, backed by up to £60 million in funding and access to large-scale computing power.

The labs will work on next-generation AI systems that are cheaper to run, more reliable and easier for businesses, researchers and public services to use. Funding will be provided through UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council over six years.

The announcement expands the government’s original plan from one AI lab to two, increasing planned funding from £40 million to up to £60 million. The labs will also receive access to computing resources valued at tens of millions of pounds.

The Science of Fundamental AI Research Lab, or SOFAIR, will be led by Professor David Barber at UCL, with researchers from Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh. It will focus on open-source AI technologies that can run on widely available hardware, aiming to reduce dependence on a small number of model providers.

The British Open-ended Learning and Discovery Lab, known as BOLD, will be led by Associate Professor Jakob Foerster at Oxford, in collaboration with UCL and Imperial College London. It will explore AI systems that can learn more efficiently, adapt to new situations and operate in physical environments.

Each lab will receive £2 million to recruit at least 10 doctoral students, supporting the UK’s AI talent pipeline. The labs will also work with existing UK AI research organisations, including the Alan Turing Institute and UKRI’s AI research hubs.

The funding forms part of UKRI’s wider AI strategy, a £1.6 billion plan to strengthen the UK’s AI research and innovation capacity over the next four years.

Why does it matter?

The investment shows the UK trying to compete in AI through fundamental research, open-source methods and efficient systems rather than only through larger datasets and more computing. By funding labs focused on reliability, lower-cost deployment and widely available hardware, the government is trying to make advanced AI more usable beyond large technology companies. The policy also links AI research to national capability, resilience and a domestic talent pipeline.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Reflection secures SpaceXAI compute deal for open-source AI models

Open-source AI startup Reflection has signed a major compute agreement with SpaceXAI, giving the company access to Colossus 2 data centre capacity as it works to develop frontier AI models.

According to Axios, Reflection will begin paying $150 million per month from 1 July 2026 for access to the infrastructure through 2029. The deal is intended to give the Nvidia-backed startup the computing power needed to compete with leading AI companies.

Reflection is developing open-source AI models at a time when access to advanced chips and large-scale data centre capacity has become a major barrier to frontier model development.

The agreement highlights the growing importance of specialised AI infrastructure providers. Rather than building all capacity internally, AI developers are increasingly relying on large compute partnerships to secure the resources needed for training and operating advanced models.

It also points to SpaceXAI’s expanding role in the AI infrastructure market. The company has been offering access to Colossus data centre capacity to AI developers, turning large-scale compute into a strategic asset within the AI ecosystem.

The deal reflects a broader shift in the AI race, where access to GPUs, power, data centres and long-term infrastructure contracts can be as important as model design or software talent.

Why does it matter?

The Reflection-SpaceXAI deal shows how compute access is becoming a decisive factor in AI competition. Open-source AI developers may benefit from wider access to large-scale infrastructure, but such deals also concentrate strategic power among companies that control chips, energy, data centres and financing. That makes AI infrastructure a governance issue, not only a business or engineering concern.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Norway restricts generative AI use in primary schools

Norway is introducing new national guidance that significantly restricts the use of generative AI in primary education as part of a broader effort to strengthen foundational learning outcomes. From the upcoming school year, pupils in grades 1–7 will generally not be permitted to use generative AI tools in their schoolwork.

The approach reflects concerns over declining foundational skills, with international assessments indicating a drop in reading and numeracy levels among Norwegian students. Policymakers have linked the decision to evidence suggesting that early and uncritical reliance on generative AI could interfere with the development of essential literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills.

In secondary education, AI will be introduced gradually, with schools expected to ensure that teachers have the necessary skills and training before students begin using the technology. Full integration is expected at the upper secondary level, where AI is seen as part of preparation for further education and the labour market.

Authorities emphasised that AI may still be used in specific circumstances, particularly to support students with individual learning needs or those requiring tailored educational assistance. The policy will be reviewed and adjusted over time, with a focus on strengthening teacher training and ensuring responsible use of the technology across the education system.

Why does it matter?

The decision reflects a growing international debate over the role of generative AI in education. While AI tools can support learning, creativity and personalised instruction, educators and policymakers are increasingly concerned that early dependence on such technologies could weaken the development of core skills that students need before they can use AI critically and effectively.

Norway’s approach also highlights a broader shift towards phased AI adoption in schools. Rather than focusing solely on access to technology, the policy places teacher competence, pedagogical goals and student development at the centre of implementation. The outcome may influence similar discussions in other countries seeking to balance digital innovation with educational quality and learning outcomes.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

Indonesia plans AI integration across major government programmes

Indonesia plans to integrate AI into major government programmes, including its flagship free meals initiative valued at approximately $15 billion, under a draft presidential regulation awaiting approval from President Prabowo Subianto.

The draft establishes a roadmap for AI adoption across ministries and regional governments between 2026 and 2029. It aims to improve economic growth and strengthen Indonesia’s competitiveness in AI at both regional and global levels.

Under the proposals, AI would support the free meals programme by helping design local menus, monitor food safety and kitchen hygiene, forecast demand, detect irregularities and integrate health data for early-warning systems. AI would also support free health screenings and tuberculosis testing.

The draft also proposes the creation of a sovereign AI fund, fiscal incentives for researchers and safeguards to address risks such as biometric misuse, intellectual property violations and deepfakes. Experts cautioned that significant infrastructure gaps, limited digital skills and uneven technological capacity could pose challenges to implementation, which remains at an early stage.

Why does it matter?

The proposal illustrates how governments are increasingly seeking to integrate AI into core public-service delivery rather than limiting its use to pilot projects or administrative functions. Applying AI to areas such as nutrition programmes, healthcare screening and public-sector operations could improve efficiency, resource allocation and service delivery for millions of citizens.

The initiative also highlights the challenges facing emerging economies as they pursue AI-driven development. While Indonesia is seeking to build domestic AI capacity through funding mechanisms and incentives, successful implementation will depend on investments in digital infrastructure, technical expertise and governance frameworks capable of addressing risks such as deepfakes, privacy concerns and misuse of biometric data.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Los Angeles AI arts museum Dataland opens with Google Cloud support

Dataland, a Los Angeles museum dedicated to AI-based art, has opened to the public with Google serving as a technology and creative collaborator.

The museum was co-founded by media artist Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç and is located at The Grand LA in downtown Los Angeles. Google says the 25,000-square-foot space is designed as an interactive environment where data, machine learning and sensory experiences form part of the artwork.

Its inaugural exhibition, ‘Machine Dreams: Rainforest’, uses Anadol’s Large Nature Model, an AI system trained on environmental datasets, to transform natural-world data into large-scale generative visuals.

Google Cloud provides infrastructure for the museum’s real-time image generation, soundscapes, scent augmentation and interactive visitor experiences. Google says the system uses tools including Gemini, diffusion models and generative adversarial networks.

The project builds on a decade of collaboration between Google and Anadol, including work using LA Philharmonic archives, Google Quantum AI data, planetary datasets and the ‘Machine Dreams: Biophilia’ installation at Google’s Mountain View campus.

Google Arts & Culture is also supporting the Dataland AI Artist Residency, a six-month programme for four artists. The residency will provide grants, mentorship from Refik Anadol Studio and access to Google Cloud tools and machine learning models.

Why does it matter?

Dataland shows how AI art is moving from experimental installations into permanent cultural infrastructure. It also highlights the role of cloud providers and large AI platforms in shaping creative production, exhibition design and access to machine-learning tools. For cultural institutions, the project raises broader questions about authorship, data provenance, sustainability, audience interaction and the dependence of new creative formats on private technology infrastructure.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UNESCO assessment supports ethical AI roadmap in El Salvador

El Salvador has advanced its national AI agenda following the presentation of a Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) report developed by UNESCO in cooperation with the National Artificial Intelligence Agency (ANIA). The initiative brings together government institutions, international organisations, academia and the private sector to assess the country’s preparedness for ethical, inclusive and sustainable AI development.

The assessment is grounded in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which establishes principles for safe and responsible AI deployment. According to the assessment, El Salvador’s legal and institutional framework, including measures related to data protection, cybersecurity and AI governance, has strengthened its position in regional AI readiness indicators.

The report highlights AI deployments already being used in public services, including digital health diagnostics, automated legal processes and large-scale digitisation of government records. Education systems are also integrating AI tools to expand access to learning, while projected economic gains suggest significant growth potential if ethical adoption continues to scale.

Alongside the findings, authorities outlined priorities aimed at reducing inequalities in access to technology, expanding participation in STEM education and ensuring that AI-related benefits reach both urban and rural communities.

The new National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2026 sets out these priorities as part of a broader human-centred development model.

Why does it matter?

The initiative positions El Salvador as a test case for how emerging economies can align rapid AI adoption with structured governance and ethical safeguards. By embedding human-centred principles into national strategy and law, the country aims to prevent AI-driven gains from widening social or geographic inequalities while strengthening long-term digital readiness.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!