Digital cooperation Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

EU launches protected data register

The European Commission has introduced a European Register of protected data to improve access to public sector information. The initiative is presented through the data.europa.eu platform as part of wider data-sharing efforts.

According to the Commission, the register provides a central point for discovering protected data held by public authorities. It is designed to make such datasets more visible and easier to locate.

The platform helps users identify conditions under which protected data can be accessed and reused. This includes guidance on legal and technical requirements linked to sensitive datasets.

The European Commission states that the register aims to strengthen transparency and data-driven innovation while supporting access to public sector information across the European Union.

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Saudi Arabia pilots global blueprint for quantum economy development

Saudi Arabia has become the first country to pilot the World Economic Forum’s Quantum Economy Blueprint, applying a global strategic framework to its national innovation agenda.

The initiative, led by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia, aims to align emerging quantum technologies with the long-term development goals outlined in Vision 2030.

The pilot, based on analysis of 24 national quantum strategies and input from global organisations, translated theoretical guidance into practical policy workstreams.

It highlighted how quantum initiatives gain stronger traction when embedded within broader national priorities, such as economic diversification and technological leadership, rather than being treated as isolated research efforts.

Five key lessons emerged from the exercise. These include the importance of linking research to commercial applications, ensuring flexible access to quantum hardware through partnerships and cloud systems, and building strong collaboration between government, academia, and industry.

The findings also underline that talent development is central to competitiveness, extending beyond scientists to engineers, policymakers, and business specialists.

The experience suggests that countries do not need full ownership of quantum infrastructure to participate in the sector, but can instead rely on strategic access models and ecosystem cooperation.

Saudi Arabia’s pilot demonstrates how global frameworks can be adapted into national action, offering a model for other countries developing their quantum strategies.

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AI needs digital public infrastructure to work for citizens, World Economic Forum says

The World Economic Forum says AI will only improve public services at scale if governments build on strong digital public infrastructure rather than fragmented systems and isolated pilot projects.

In a new analysis, the WEF points to digital identity, payments, and data exchange as the core layers that already support service delivery in many countries.

It argues that AI can make those systems more responsive by speeding up tasks such as identity verification, record retrieval, and payment processing.

But the Forum also warns that combining AI with digital public infrastructure will not work without clear safeguards. Interoperability, trust, and consent-based data use are presented as essential to making AI systems effective across public institutions while protecting users.

The wider message is that AI in government is no longer just a question of adoption. For countries hoping to scale public-sector AI, the bigger challenge is whether the underlying digital infrastructure is strong enough to support it.

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Canada boosts quantum research funding

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada has announced new funding to support the country’s quantum research ecosystem. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific capacity and innovation in the field.

According to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the funding will support researchers, projects and collaboration across institutions. It is intended to advance both fundamental research and applied development.

The programme also focuses on developing talent and building expertise, ensuring that researchers and students can contribute to the development of quantum technologies. This reflects a broader effort to sustain long-term growth in the sector.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada positions the funding as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce quantum capabilities and research leadership in Canada.

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Ghana expands AI skills with UN and the Government of Japan partners

The Ghanaian Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has launched a public-sector AI capacity development programme in collaboration with the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen digital skills across government institutions.

According to the Ministry, the programme is designed to equip public officials with knowledge of AI and its applications in governance. It focuses on improving decision-making and service delivery, drawing on experience from the UN and Japan.

Why does it matter?

The initiative includes training, practical sessions and policy discussions to support responsible adoption of AI technologies. It also aims to help institutions identify relevant use cases and implementation strategies.

The Ministry presents the interdisciplinary programme as part of broader efforts to advance digital transformation and strengthen institutional capacity in Ghana.

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OpenAI expands cyber defence programme with trusted access and industry partnerships

The US AI research and deployment company, OpenAI, has introduced an expanded cyber defence initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration across the cybersecurity ecosystem.

A programme, known as Trusted Access for Cyber, is designed to provide advanced AI capabilities to vetted organisations while maintaining safeguards based on trust, validation and accountability.

Such an initiative by OpenAI includes financial support through a cybersecurity grant programme, allocating resources to organisations working on software supply chain security and vulnerability research.

By enabling broader access to advanced tools, the programme seeks to support developers and smaller teams that may lack continuous security capacity.

A range of industry participants, including Cisco, Cloudflare and NVIDIA, are involved in testing and applying these capabilities within complex digital environments.

Public sector collaboration is also reflected through partnerships with institutions focused on evaluating AI safety and security standards.

The initiative reflects a broader approach to cybersecurity as a distributed responsibility, where public and private actors contribute to resilience.

It also highlights the increasing role of AI systems in identifying vulnerabilities and supporting defensive research across critical infrastructure and digital services.

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Google pushes partnerships to shape AI economic impact

A new initiative from Google highlights growing efforts to shape how AI will affect jobs and the wider economy.

Announced alongside a policy forum in Washington D.C., the programme brings together economists, policymakers and industry leaders to assess risks, identify knowledge gaps and support coordinated responses to technological change.

Fresh investment in research forms a central pillar of the strategy. Through its AI and Economy Research Program, Google is funding academic collaboration and global studies focused on labour markets, productivity and sector-specific transformation.

Partnerships aim to generate insights on AI’s impact on work, with the strongest results seen where it supports learning, reduces routine tasks and improves collaboration.

Workforce preparation represents a parallel priority. Google has already trained millions in digital skills and is expanding efforts through AI-focused certification programmes and a $120 million global fund for education initiatives.

New partnerships target practical applications, including training healthcare workers, expanding apprenticeships and equipping manufacturing employees with AI capabilities across multiple regions.

Long-term impact will depend on coordination between the public and private sectors. Google’s approach reflects a broader shift towards structured governance, combining investment, research and policy engagement to manage both opportunities and risks.

Outcomes will hinge on how effectively stakeholders align innovation with workforce readiness and economic resilience.

Growing investment in AI research and workforce training directly shapes how economies absorb technological change and whether workers benefit or fall behind. Without alignment, skills gaps, uneven adoption and regulatory uncertainty could limit AI’s potential and widen labour market inequalities.

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Canada and Finland set out sovereign technology and AI cooperation agenda

Canada and Finland have issued a joint statement setting out a new phase of bilateral cooperation focused on Arctic and maritime issues, defence and resilience, and advanced technologies, including sovereign technology, AI, quantum computing, and high-performance computing.

The statement says the two countries met in Ottawa to advance bilateral cooperation amid strategic competition and an emerging international order.

On technology, the statement welcomes a Canada–Finland joint statement on sovereign technology and AI cooperation, aimed at expanding collaboration on advanced technologies that deliver shared economic benefits.

It also says the two countries will deepen coordination to strengthen sovereign technology, grow capacity, and reduce dependencies in what it describes as an increasingly contested digital landscape. Finland’s participation in the Sovereign Technology Alliance is also to be explored.

The two governments also say they will collaborate on research and innovation in high-performance computing and AI, including support for AI adoption across industry and government and the identification of investment opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The statement adds that they will continue cooperation on network communication technologies that will underpin sovereign AI infrastructure and promote opportunities for their telecommunications industries through multilateral initiatives, including the Global Coalition on Telecommunications.

The text also refers to AI gigafactories, facilities designed to provide the computing power needed to develop, train, and deploy advanced AI models and applications. In that context, it welcomes the longstanding cooperation between Export Development Canada and Nokia and notes a memorandum of understanding signed this week to support Nokia’s efforts to build AI gigafactories.

Beyond AI, the statement says Canada and Finland will explore cooperation in quantum research, innovation, commercialisation, and workforce development, including through a Canadian quantum trade mission to Finland. It also links bilateral technology cooperation to critical minerals, trusted supply chains, and wider economic and security cooperation.

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Nigeria Customs Service begins AI training

The Nigeria Customs Service has begun a capacity development programme focused on AI-driven processes, according to an official social media post. The initiative aims to strengthen operational efficiency in key areas.

The Nigeria Customs Service stated that the training covers revenue generation, remittances and reconciliation processes. AI tools are being introduced to improve accuracy and streamline financial operations.

The programme is part of broader efforts to enhance technical skills within the service and align operations with evolving digital practices. It reflects a focus on improving internal systems and data management.

The Nigeria Customs Service positions the initiative as a step towards modernising customs processes and strengthening institutional capacity in Nigeria.

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South Korea deploys AI smart city pilots across Southeast Asia

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in South Korea has selected six pilot projects under the K-City Network Global Cooperation Program to deploy AI-based smart city models across Southeast Asia.

The initiative reflects efforts to extend tested domestic systems into international urban contexts.

Projects will be implemented in Brunei, Bacoor, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Surin and Penang, focusing on areas such as traffic optimisation, water management and disaster response. These pilots aim to assess the adaptability and performance of AI-enabled infrastructure in diverse environments.

The programme operates as a government-to-government cooperation mechanism, combining technical deployment with policy coordination. Selected projects were evaluated based on innovation, feasibility and potential for broader regional application.

By testing AI-driven urban systems in partner countries, the initiative by South Korea seeks to support digital transformation while contributing to more efficient, resilient and data-driven public services.

It also reflects wider trends in cross-border collaboration on smart city governance and infrastructure development.

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