Development Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Ireland introduces AI Bill to implement EU AI Act

Ireland’s government has introduced the Regulation of AI Bill 2026, with Digital Transformation Minister Niamh Smyth describing the legislation as essential to protecting citizens while supporting innovation during its Second Stage debate in the Dáil.

The Bill is intended to give full effect to the EU AI Act in Ireland by establishing the national institutions needed to supervise and enforce the regulation ahead of the EU implementation deadline of 2 August 2026.

A central element of the Bill is the establishment of the AI Office of Ireland as an independent statutory body. The office will act as Ireland’s national point of contact with the European Commission and other member states, oversee enforcement of the AI Act, promote AI literacy and innovation, and operate a regulatory sandbox for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Smyth acknowledged both the opportunities and risks presented by AI, highlighting advances in areas such as healthcare and scientific research while warning that, without appropriate safeguards, the technology could reinforce discrimination, manipulate behaviour and exploit vulnerabilities. She emphasised that the Bill is an implementing measure and does not introduce obligations beyond those already established by the EU AI Act.

Smyth also said the legislation would strengthen Ireland’s position as an ‘EU centre of excellence and digital regulatory hub‘. She argued that a robust enforcement framework would provide businesses with the regulatory certainty needed to invest and innovate, with the government seeking passage of the Bill before the August deadline.

Why does it matter?

Ireland’s implementation of the EU AI Act carries particular significance because many of the world’s largest technology companies base their European operations there. The establishment of an independent AI Office with enforcement responsibilities and a regulatory sandbox positions Ireland as a key player in applying the EU’s AI rules in practice.

The legislation also illustrates the broader challenge facing EU member states as the AI Act enters into force. Governments must rapidly establish the institutions, expertise and enforcement mechanisms needed to supervise AI systems while providing businesses with regulatory certainty and supporting continued innovation.

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Pax Silica expands with new AI partnership, supply chain initiatives, and workforce programme

The United States has announced a series of new initiatives under the Pax Silica partnership aimed at strengthening AI supply chain security, expanding international cooperation on AI, and supporting advanced manufacturing capabilities among participating economies.

The announcements were made following the 2026 Pax Silica Summit, the second meeting of the initiative launched by the US Department of State in December 2025. Pax Silica focuses on strengthening economic security and resilient supply chains across sectors, including semiconductors, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, energy inputs, AI, and digital infrastructure, through cooperation among participating countries.

One of the summit’s principal outcomes was the signing of a Joint Statement on AI Opportunity by the United States and nearly three dozen partner economies. According to the US Department of State, the statement promotes a pro-innovation and pro-growth approach to AI governance while emphasising secure AI supply chains and support for startups, developers, and private-sector innovation. Signatories include countries from Europe, the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, including Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The summit also expanded the Pax Silica partnership itself. Ten additional participants, including Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the European Union, Germany, Greece, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, and Panama, joined the initiative, bringing the total number of signatories to 24. Taiwan continues to support the initiative’s principles through a separate joint statement on economic security cooperation with the United States.

Another announcement focused on strengthening the security and transparency of AI supply chains. The US Department of State plans to launch a competitive funding programme for a pilot AI Assistance Project in Panama to develop an AI supply chain credentialing and provenance platform. According to the Department, the proposed platform would integrate with customs authorities, ports, and logistics systems to help verify and facilitate shipments of semiconductors, AI infrastructure, critical minerals, and other strategic goods. If successfully implemented in Panama, the project could later be expanded to additional Pax Silica partners.

The summit also introduced Foundry School, a workforce development initiative established jointly by the US Department of State and Stanford University. The programme will begin with seminars at Stanford for entrepreneurs and industrial leaders and will be complemented by an advanced manufacturing curriculum that participating educational institutions across Pax Silica economies will be able to adopt. The initiative aims to strengthen expertise in advanced manufacturing, recognising its growing importance for both economic competitiveness and technological development.

Pax Silica reflects broader government efforts to strengthen resilience across AI-related supply chains as geopolitical competition increasingly intersects with technological development. In recent years, countries have introduced a range of policies covering semiconductor production, critical minerals, export controls, and trusted technology partnerships, while also seeking to balance innovation with economic and national security considerations.

The summit’s outcomes indicate that Pax Silica is evolving beyond a policy dialogue into a broader cooperation framework encompassing AI governance, supply chain security, industrial capacity, and workforce development. Whether the initiatives announced at the summit expand beyond their initial pilot phase will depend on implementation by participating governments and continued international cooperation among partner economies.

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Switzerland sets framework for responsible AI use in development co-operation

An OECD case study has highlighted Switzerland’s efforts to govern the responsible use of AI in international cooperate and humanitarian assistance, focusing on a framework adopted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in 2025.

The case study says SDC’s AI initiatives had previously been scattered, especially at the country level, while many staff had limited experience with AI. The agency also lacked unified guidance for using AI tools, funding AI-related projects and engaging in policy dialogue.

Approved in 2025, SDC’s Working Aid on AI is grounded in Switzerland’s International Cooperation Strategy 2025–2028. It provides practical guidance for responsible AI adoption across the agency’s portfolio and institutional roles.

The framework draws on earlier risk and opportunity mapping, the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI and the OECD AI principles.

Its guiding principles include doing no harm, human oversight, participation of affected communities, localisation, dataset debiasing, ethical data sourcing, decent work in AI supply chains, reduced climate impact, transparency and internal oversight.

The Working Aid also defines four roles for SDC: funding operational AI projects, influencing global AI policy and partnerships, providing sectoral advice to SDC units and Swiss representations, and embedding AI into knowledge management.

SDC has created an AI Task Force, now becoming an AI Network, to coordinate work on operations, staff skills, data and IT infrastructure, governance and partnerships.

The framework is already being applied to areas including climate forecasting, child health diagnostics, media development, disinformation and internal project-cycle management.

Why does it matter?

Switzerland’s approach shows how development agencies are beginning to institutionalise AI governance rather than treating AI as a series of isolated experiments. A framework for responsible use can help agencies manage risks around bias, dependency, data sourcing, climate impact and human oversight while still using AI for development and humanitarian goals. The case also highlights the importance of internal capacity, staff guidance and whole-of-government coordination as AI becomes part of international cooperate.

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South Africa launches BrainSAT Satellite Services

South Africa has launched BrainSAT Satellite Services as part of its efforts to expand secure and reliable satellite connectivity for government, businesses and communities across the country.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile announced the launch alongside the South African debut of Thuraya satellite phones in Johannesburg. According to the Presidency, BrainSAT South Africa will provide secure voice, broadband and data services for government, businesses and industrial users.

The launch follows a memorandum of understanding linked to Mashatile’s 2024 visit to the United Arab Emirates. The Presidency said UAE-based Space42 is partnering with BrainSAT South Africa to implement the agreement.

Mashatile said the services are intended to improve connectivity in sectors including energy, mining, maritime operations and humanitarian response, where satellite communications can maintain critical links in remote or challenging environments.

The government also linked the initiative to its Roadmap for Digital Transformation in Government, which aims to simplify access to services such as grants, identity documents, payment systems and school registration. BrainSAT also supports South Africa Connect and the National Satellite Communication Strategy, which seek to expand broadband access and develop a nationally owned satellite capability. Mashatile said the initiative could improve rural service delivery, strengthen economic growth, create new skills and expand digital connectivity.

According to the company’s website, Space42’s YahClick service already provides satellite broadband across Africa, the Middle East, Southwest Asia and Brazil through Ka-band high-throughput satellites.

Why does it matter?

The launch reflects South Africa’s broader effort to strengthen digital infrastructure by expanding satellite connectivity alongside terrestrial broadband networks. Reliable satellite communications can improve resilience in remote regions and support essential services, critical industries and emergency response where conventional infrastructure is limited.

The initiative also highlights the growing role of international partnerships in national digital transformation strategies. By linking satellite infrastructure with public service delivery, broadband expansion and economic development, South Africa is positioning connectivity as a key enabler of digital inclusion and long-term growth.

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UNESCO summit advances AI ethics roadmap for Latin America and Caribbean

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have adopted a Ministerial Declaration and a regional roadmap on AI ethics for 2026–2027.

The documents were adopted at the Third Ministerial Summit and High-Level Authorities Meeting on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in the Dominican Republic.

The summit was organised by UNESCO, the Government of the Dominican Republic, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean and other partners, with support from the European Union.

Participants reaffirmed their commitment to implementing UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by UNESCO member states as a global normative framework for AI governance.

The roadmap sets priorities for technical cooperation, the exchange of regulatory experience and stronger institutional capacities for ethical and responsible AI policy.

It builds on earlier regional declarations adopted in Santiago in 2023 and Montevideo in 2024, moving the regional process from shared principles towards implementation.

The roadmap frames AI as a cross-cutting public policy issue, calling for participation from sectors including education, health, the economy, culture, the environment, justice, planning, budgeting and subnational government.

Participating states also identified capacity development as a regional priority, including digital literacy and training for public officials, educators, judicial practitioners, journalists, researchers, businesses and citizens.

The process will continue through five regional working groups, expanded technical exchanges and closer coordination with other international AI governance initiatives.

Why does it matter?

The roadmap gives Latin America and the Caribbean a more structured way to coordinate AI policy across countries, rather than developing national approaches in isolation. Its value will depend on whether regional working groups can turn broad ethical commitments into practical tools, stronger public institutions and shared regulatory capacity. The focus on education, environment, public administration and subnational government also shows that AI governance is being treated as a whole-of-society policy issue, not only a technology-sector concern.

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University of Wisconsin launches College of Computing & AI

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has launched its College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence (CAI), the institution’s first new college in more than four decades.

The new college brings together the departments of Computer Sciences, Statistics and the Information School, building on the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences established in 2019.

The college will focus on computing and AI education and research while promoting collaboration across fields including health, engineering, business, the social sciences, the arts and the humanities.

The university also plans to launch new academic programmes, recruit 50 faculty members over the coming years and expand partnerships with industry and government to strenthen research, education and innovation.

Why does it matter?

The creation of a dedicated College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence reflects the growing importance universities are placing on AI as a cross-disciplinary field rather than a specialised area within computer science. By bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines, the university aims to prepare students and researchers to address the technical, social and ethical challenges of AI.

The investment also highlights intensifying competition among higher education institutions to attract talent, research funding and industry partnerships in AI. Expanding faculty, academic programmes and collaboration with government and business positions the university to play a larger role in developing the next generation of AI research and workforce skills.

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India marks 11 years of Digital India initiative

India has marked the 11th anniversary of the Digital India initiative, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting its role in transforming governance, public service delivery and access to digital services.

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi said the Digital India initiative had made governance more transparent, efficient and citizen-centric. He highlighted digital payments, Direct Benefit Transfers and the expansion of digital public infrastructure as key examples of technology improving public service delivery.

The government also linked the Digital India initiative to broader innovation across the country, including in villages and Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Modi said entrepreneurs, startups and innovators were developing technology-based solutions for sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture, commerce and public services.

The statement also highlighted India’s ambitions in emerging technologies. Modi said advances in AI, semiconductors and quantum computing would create new opportunities for economic growth, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to using technology to empower citizens and support sustainable development.

Why does it matter?

The anniversary highlights how Digital India has evolved from a digital government programme into a broader strategy for economic development and technological innovation. By linking digital public infrastructure with AI, semiconductors and quantum computing, the government is positioning digital transformation as a foundation for India’s long-term competitiveness.

The initiative also illustrates the growing role of digital public infrastructure in national development. India’s experience with digital payments, identity systems and public services is increasingly influencing international discussions on digital governance and technology-enabled public service delivery.

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UAE and US deepen AI partnership under Pax Silica framework

The United Arab Emirates is expanding its AI cooperation with the United States, describing the partnership as a long-term strategic framework centred on investment, trusted technology and joint innovation across multiple sectors.

The UAE is investing across the US AI ecosystem, including semiconductors, AI applications, energy and digital infrastructure. Officials said the partnership reflects years of institutional cooperation, reinforced through continued policy alignment, economic collaboration and high-level engagement.

At the second Pax Silica Summit in Washington, UAE representatives joined international partners in advancing the Joint Statement on AI Opportunity, with 35 countries reaffirming their commitment to innovation-driven policies, private-sector research and resilient technology supply chains. The UAE joined the Pax Silica initiative in January 2026 as part of a broader US$1.4 trillion economic and technology framework.

The partnership also includes major infrastructure and investment projects, including advanced US semiconductor exports to the UAE, a joint AI campus in Abu Dhabi and expanding data centre capacity. Officials said cooperation will continue to deepen through long-term investment, research and technology integration.

Why does it matter?

The partnership illustrates how AI is increasingly shaping strategic relationships between countries, extending beyond research cooperation into semiconductors, computing infrastructure, investment and supply chains. Governments are treating AI capabilities as a foundation of long-term economic competitiveness and technological influence.

It also reflects the growing importance of trusted international technology partnerships. As countries seek secure access to advanced chips, data centres and AI infrastructure, collaborations such as the UAE-US partnership are becoming an important part of broader industrial, economic and geopolitical strategies.

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UN scientific panel publishes first global AI assessment ahead of Geneva governance dialogue

The United Nations’ Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence has published its first preliminary report, providing an evidence-based assessment of AI’s opportunities, risks, and societal impacts ahead of next week’s inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva. Rather than prescribing specific policies, the report aims to inform international discussions by providing an independent scientific foundation for AI governance decision-making.

Established by the UN General Assembly in August 2025 following commitments made in the Global Digital Compact, the panel brings together 40 independent experts from academia, civil society, the private sector, and the technical community. It is the first permanent UN scientific body dedicated exclusively to assessing the development and societal implications of AI. The report will serve as a key input to the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, which takes place on 6–7 July alongside the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum and the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.

The preliminary report examines AI through four broad dimensions:

Scientific and technological developments;
Opportunities for sustainable development;
Emerging risks;
Approaches to international governance.

Instead of advocating a particular regulatory model, the panel seeks to establish a shared evidence base that can support future policymaking and international cooperation on AI.

Rather than focusing solely on risks, the report examines AI’s growing role across sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, scientific research, and public administration. It describes AI as a general-purpose technology with the potential to accelerate innovation, improve productivity, and expand access to knowledge and public services. At the same time, the panel notes that these benefits remain unevenly distributed across countries and regions, with significant disparities in access to computing infrastructure, technical expertise, and digital resources.

The report estimates that more than one billion people now use AI-powered services each week, while frontier AI capabilities remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies and countries. According to the panel, this concentration extends beyond AI models themselves to include computing infrastructure, specialised hardware, large-scale datasets, and technical talent, raising broader questions about equitable access to AI and the distribution of its benefits.

The panel also highlights the challenges facing developing countries, warning that many risk becoming primarily consumers rather than producers of AI technologies if investment in local infrastructure, research ecosystems, digital skills, and governance capacity does not keep pace with global developments. It identifies multilingual AI, locally relevant datasets, and stronger scientific capabilities as important factors in ensuring that AI systems better reflect diverse societies and languages rather than reinforcing existing global disparities.

Alongside these opportunities, the report identifies a range of emerging risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems. These include the use of AI for cyberattacks, fraud, disinformation, election interference, and other malicious activities, as well as broader concerns related to market concentration, transparency, and the growing dependence of many countries on a limited number of AI providers. The panel also notes that many governments currently lack the technical capacity to evaluate the most advanced frontier AI models independently.

Beyond security-related concerns, the report identifies environmental sustainability as an increasingly important governance issue. It notes that the rapid expansion of AI requires increasing amounts of computing power, electricity, water, and specialised hardware, and argues that future AI development should balance technological progress with efficient resource use and broader sustainable development objectives.

Speaking at the report’s launch, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the pace of AI development requires stronger international cooperation grounded in scientific evidence and inclusive dialogue.

Panel co-chair Maria Ressa described the publication as an independent scientific assessment designed to inform, rather than replace, intergovernmental decision-making. The report itself states that ‘effective AI governance requires international cooperation,’ while recognising that governance approaches will continue to reflect different national circumstances and policy priorities.

The publication marks the first major output of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI since its establishment under the Global Digital Compact. Future reports are expected to provide regular scientific assessments of AI capabilities, impacts, and governance challenges as the technology continues to evolve.

Why does it matter?

As governments, international organisations, researchers, and industry representatives gather in Geneva next week for the inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the preliminary report is expected to provide an important reference point for discussions on the future of AI. By combining scientific evidence with a broad assessment of opportunities, risks, and governance considerations, it seeks to support a more informed international conversation on how AI can contribute to sustainable development, human rights, and shared global prosperity.

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Claude Science launches AI workbench for researchers

Claude Science has been launched as an AI workbench designed to streamline scientific research by bringing data analysis, coding and research tools into a single integrated environment. The platform is designed to help researchers analyse data, run multi-step workflows, and generate publication-ready outputs with full transparency.

The platform consolidates research tools such as databases, coding environments and analysis software, enabling scientists to work across disciplines without switching between applications. Outputs are fully auditable, with embedded code, workflow histories and documentation to support validation and reproducibility.

Claude Science also uses a multi-agent architecture comprising specialist agents and a reviewer agent that verifies calculations and citations. It can be deployed on local infrastructure or high-performance computing systems, allowing institutions to scale AI-assisted research while keeping sensitive data within their own environments.

Why does it matter?

Claude Science reflects a broader evolution of AI from a standalone assistant to an integrated research platform. By combining specialised AI agents, computational tools and transparent workflows in a single environment, it aims to simplify scientific research while improving reproducibility and collaboration.

The platform also raises broader questions about the future of AI in science. As researchers increasingly rely on AI to support data analysis and experimentation, ensuring transparency, validation and institutional control over sensitive research data will be essential to maintaining scientific integrity and trust.

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