Public-Private Partnerships in Online Content Moderation | IGF 2023 Open Forum #95

Audience

The focus of the analysis is the significance of national partnerships between the private sector, civil society, and governments in establishing a robust data economy. These partnerships are deemed essential at a national level, bringing together stakeholders to collaborate on developing and managing data resources.

The argument presented highlights the necessity of national partnerships for effectively implementing a data economy. The involvement of the private sector, civil society, and governments is seen as vital in addressing the challenges and opportunities related to data sharing and utilization. The analysis stresses the need for all relevant parties to form synergistic partnerships to effectively tackle these issues, as they are critical for progress.

Additionally, the analysis emphasizes the need for an intermediary to oversee and manage data pooling. Data pooling is deemed valuable for companies as it enables greater access to diverse data sources. However, commercial sensitivity issues can arise from data pooling. Therefore, an intermediary is recommended to facilitate and navigate the complexities of data pooling, ensuring that commercial sensitivities are appropriately addressed.

Furthermore, the analysis advocates for the creation of universal international standards for data sharing. The presence of different data regulations and licenses in each country is considered an obstacle to effective data sharing. Government obstructions in accessing data are also recognized as hindrances to technological advancement. To overcome these challenges, the establishment of international standards is recommended. This includes considering South-South cooperation in standard setting to ensure comprehensive and inclusive standards.

Lastly, the International Governance Forum (IGF) Secretariat is specifically mentioned as being tasked with setting international standards. This underscores the recognition of the IGF’s pivotal role in developing standards and guidelines for the governance and management of data resources on a global scale.

In summary, the analysis highlights the importance of national partnerships in fostering a robust data economy. The involvement of the private sector, civil society, and governments is pivotal in tackling challenges related to data sharing and utilization. The need for an intermediary in managing data pooling, the creation of universal international standards for data sharing, and the role of the IGF Secretariat are all key points addressed in the analysis. Overall, the analysis provides valuable insights into the considerations and recommendations for the effective development and management of data resources.

Helani Galpaya,

Public-private data partnerships are crucial in understanding and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Microsoft, a key player in these partnerships, not only shares data but also provides infrastructure, capacity building, and sets standards. However, there is a trade-off for companies like Microsoft between generating revenue and undertaking philanthropic work due to their commercial nature. Balancing these trade-offs requires careful consideration and strategic decision-making. Investing in low digitally connected countries is seen as a long-term vision that can contribute to achieving the digital SDGs and bridging the digital divide. Data protection laws pose challenges to data sharing and research collaborations, but techniques like federated learning offer potential solutions to work around these restrictions. Data pooling can also maximize the value of data by pooling resources from multiple companies and government departments, leading to collective insights. To ensure data privacy and security in data pooling scenarios, it is important to involve a trustworthy party. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both the public and private sectors, we can make progress towards the SDGs and create a sustainable future.

Rodrigo Iriani

The Latin America and Caribbean region faces challenges in the data ecosystem and requires increased participation from the private sector. It is known to be one of the most unequal regions in the world, with limited involvement from the private sector in the data ecosystem. Successful examples of public-private data partnerships invest time and effort in building trust, establishing proof of concept, and adapting value propositions. These partnerships align their projects with the mandates of development, human rights, and democracy, showcasing the potential for collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Active government and private sector initiatives play a crucial role in providing digital and data skills, capacity building, and employability. Philanthropic support and development projects have seen a noticeable shift, with examples such as a project in Jamaica that aims to train youth in digital skills and data literacy. This positive sentiment reflects the efforts made to bridge the skills gap in the region.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, synergy between the private sector, government entities, and civil society is necessary. Multilateral development banks require more collaboration between these stakeholders, emphasizing the significance of collective action in addressing challenges and achieving sustainable development.

The established platform and relationships with multinational organizations, governments, and big companies generate trust for new partners, demonstrating the potential for future collaborations. However, a challenge lies in gathering new funding, as some private sector entities and international donors do not cover operational costs. This negative sentiment highlights the need for alternative funding sources or increased support from these entities.

Adapting the current model is necessary to continue making an impact on the communities being served. This neutral sentiment acknowledges the need for flexibility and evolution to effectively address the evolving needs of the region.

National partnerships and private sector data are crucial for social and economic development. Successful partnerships between the private sector and national ministries have been observed, using data for social and economic development, such as through hackathons. This positive sentiment underscores the potential of data-driven collaborations for positive change.

National ministries should be involved in discussions about data use from the outset, as their involvement is crucial in defining data sets and the focus of solutions. This sentiment aligns with the goal of inclusive and equitable decision-making processes.

The private sector should be flexible and open when working with government entities and should share best practices, considering their different operational approaches. This positive sentiment recognizes the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and adaptive strategies to achieve common goals.

The public sector should strengthen its capacities and develop a data culture. This positive sentiment emphasizes the importance of building the necessary skills and mindset within the public sector to effectively utilize data for decision-making and governance improvement.

In conclusion, the Latin America and Caribbean region faces challenges in the data ecosystem, but opportunities for improvement exist. Increased private sector participation, active government and private sector initiatives, and synergy between stakeholders are essential for achieving sustainable development goals. Building trust, adapting models, and addressing funding challenges are necessary steps in driving positive change. National partnerships, inclusive decision-making processes, and knowledge sharing are vital for social and economic development. The public sector should focus on capacity building and fostering a data-driven culture. Through these efforts, the region can overcome its challenges and pave the way for a more prosperous future.

Mike Flannagan

Microsoft has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting nonprofits worldwide by providing nearly $4 billion in discounts and donations. These contributions aim to facilitate the work of nonprofit organizations and help them fulfill their missions more effectively. In line with this commitment, Microsoft has developed the Microsoft Cloud specifically for nonprofit organizations. This cloud solution is designed around a common data model that addresses the specific needs of nonprofits, such as attracting donors and delivering programs at scale. By leveraging this common data model, nonprofit organizations can access and utilize technological solutions more easily and affordably.

In addition to their financial support, Microsoft embraces corporate social responsibility (CSR) and actively tracks their work against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They have initiated collaborations across various sectors, including nonprofits, universities, companies, and governments, to promote data sharing and access. Through these collaborations, Microsoft aims to foster partnerships for achieving the SDGs and drive positive social impact. This approach highlights Microsoft’s belief in the importance of community engagement and their dedication to making a difference through technology.

Microsoft acknowledges the significance of open data in driving impact, even though full openness may not always be feasible due to privacy or commercial concerns. They emphasize the value of utilizing data in a more open manner to break down data silos and promote transparency and collaboration. This stance reflects their understanding of the importance of balancing data privacy and the benefits of sharing data for greater societal good.

Furthermore, Microsoft advocates for inclusive economic growth. They emphasize that economic progress should not only benefit shareholders but also consider the well-being and prosperity of a broader range of stakeholders. This is evident in the way Microsoft structures compensation for executives and employees, aligning it with principles of inclusive growth.

In line with the technological advancements of the modern era, Microsoft recognizes the urgent need for building skills globally, with a particular focus on technology, data, cybersecurity, and AI. They acknowledge the existence of a global skills gap in these areas and view their investments in skill building as beneficial both for the world and the future of their company. By championing skill training and development in these critical areas, Microsoft aims to empower individuals and enhance employability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Mike Flannagan, a representative of Microsoft, views the collaboration between Microsoft and governments worldwide as highly valuable. Such collaborations enable governments to leverage Microsoft’s expertise and technology to address common societal challenges effectively. Flannagan also supports the adoption of global standards for data privacy and protection. Standardization in these crucial areas would simplify operations on a global scale and ensure consistency and compliance across borders.

Overall, Microsoft’s commitment to supporting nonprofits, tracking their work against the SDGs, promoting data sharing, advocating for inclusive economic growth, building relevant skills, and collaborating with governments reflects their dedication to driving positive change and using technology as a force for good.

Darlington Ahiale Akogo

Forming partnerships between the public and private sectors can be challenging due to language barriers and differences in procedures, often leading to frustration. The public sector, such as the government, possesses the reach and assets, while the private sector, particularly start-ups, offer innovation. However, their differing communication methods and procedures can create obstacles in establishing effective collaborations.

One solution to ease the formation of public-private partnerships is to have a facilitator with experience working in the public sector. This individual can bridge the gap between the two sectors and facilitate engagement. Additionally, international development agencies, experienced in working with both public and private sectors, can contribute to the formation and facilitation of these partnerships.

Successful examples of public and private partnerships exist, particularly in agriculture and healthcare. These collaborations have led to significant projects and data collection. For instance, a company formed partnerships with public health institutions, gaining access to a hundred years of data on Africans. Another project in agriculture involving the government and a public university resulted in the creation of the largest disease and pest data sets in the world. These success stories highlight the potential for effective collaboration between public and private sectors.

Adhering to data protection laws is crucial when handling sensitive data in these projects. It is important to consider the data protection laws of the country of operation. Even in the absence of specific regulations, following a standard like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ensures the secure handling of sensitive information. Maintaining data privacy and security is vital in public-private partnerships.

The political will to form partnerships is crucial for governments. Partnerships can help address the toughest challenges within a country by utilizing data-centric or artificial intelligence solutions. Governments should recognize the potential benefits of collaborations and demonstrate the necessary commitment and support to foster their formation.

Furthermore, the success of public-private partnerships within a government often relies on internal political agreement and consensus. Merely having a few agencies willing to fund these partnerships is insufficient; there needs to be broader recognition and agreement within the government. Creating an environment where different agencies within the government understand and value the potential impact and efficiency of collaboration is essential.

In conclusion, forming partnerships between the public and private sectors can be challenging due to language barriers and differing procedures. However, having a facilitator with experience in the public sector and involving international development agencies can facilitate the formation and success of these partnerships. Public and private collaborations have the potential to achieve significant milestones and data collection, particularly in agriculture and healthcare. Adhering to data protection laws and regulations is crucial when handling sensitive information. Governments should demonstrate the political will to form partnerships and strive for internal consensus and support within their agencies. By doing so, they can effectively address the toughest challenges within their countries, harnessing the power of partnerships for the benefit of all.

Mona Demaidi

The analysis highlights the crucial role of international collaboration and data sharing in AI research, supporting SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Accessible data is essential for AI research, and pooling resources, such as computational resources and talent, proves beneficial. Cross-cultural understanding is also important for translating research into a global aspect.

Ethical considerations, including transparency and gender equality, must be prioritised in AI development, aligning with SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. However, ethical challenges, such as data privacy, security, and transparency, pose obstacles to international collaboration.

The lack of a structured protocol for data-sharing between different countries hinders progress in AI development. Harmonising legal frameworks to achieve transparency is a challenge, and data use and deployment must consider various aspects of data.

The MENA region lacks a legal framework for data privacy and protection, leading to hesitancy among the private sector in providing data due to uncertainty about the benefits of AI. Efforts are underway in the region to establish international standards for data sharing and create an AI ethics strategy.

Governments need to establish a governance structure to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders. The private sector should better comprehend the potential benefits of AI and the significance of structuring and labelling data to contribute to SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

In conclusion, international collaboration and data sharing play a vital role in AI research. Ethical considerations, challenges in data-sharing, and the absence of a legal framework for data privacy and protection need to be addressed. Efforts are being made to establish international standards for data sharing in the MENA region. Collaborative involvement and data sharing are key to efficient AI use and achieving SDG goals.

Philipp Schönrock

The analysis highlights the significance of public-private data partnerships in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The speakers stress that the most successful initiatives are those where partners invest time and effort to establish a proof-of-concept, build trust, and adapt and iterate the value proposition over time. These partnerships play a crucial role in addressing complex global challenges.

However, the analysis also acknowledges that there are significant challenges in initiating, completing, monitoring, and scaling up private-public data initiatives. One major hurdle is the lack of coherence across under development and standard operating procedures. This lack of consistency hampers the efficiency of public-private partnerships for SDGs, particularly in the Global South. The enabling environment required for these partnerships is lacking, despite initial hype surrounding their potential. Overcoming these obstacles is essential in order to fully leverage the potential of public-private partnerships for sustainable development.

In addition to public-private partnerships, the analysis emphasizes the need for collaboration among the data, tech, and statistical communities. There are still critical data gaps that need to be addressed in order to better understand and tackle important global issues such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. Closing these data gaps requires the convergence of expertise from the data community, tech community, and official statistics. Through this collaboration, a comprehensive and accurate understanding of these issues can be achieved, leading to more effective strategies and actions.

Overall, the analysis underscores the importance of public-private data partnerships and collaboration among different communities to achieve the SDGs. The success of these initiatives hinges on trust, adaptability, and investment of time and effort. By addressing the challenges and working together, stakeholders can unlock the full potential of data-driven solutions for sustainable development.

Isuru Samaratunga

A research study involving 94 countries has emphasised the value of public-private data partnerships in the Global South for monitoring and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study identified a total of 394 data actions within these partnerships, with a specific focus on SDGs related to climate action, sustainable cities and communities, and good health and well-being.

It is important to note that not all SDGs hold equal importance across different regions. Climate action, sustainable cities and communities, and good health and well-being were found to be the most commonly addressed SDGs in these partnerships. This implies that these particular goals are deemed more urgent and relevant within the Global South.

However, the research also acknowledged certain challenges in establishing successful public-private partnerships. Time and trust-building were identified as crucial elements for ensuring the success of these collaborations. Partnerships require dedicated efforts and active participation from both public and private entities. It is imperative to invest time in developing trust between the stakeholders involved to overcome potential obstacles and achieve desired outcomes.

Furthermore, the research suggests that large firms with global reach are better equipped to sustain these relationships. Their established networks and resources make them better positioned to navigate the complexities of public-private partnerships. This observation could have implications for future partnership establishment, with an emphasis on involving influential and globally connected corporations.

Another key argument presented is the significance of having a legal framework in place to enable and support these partnerships. A well-defined legal framework can provide clarity on the roles and responsibilities of each party involved, facilitate decision-making processes, and offer protection for all stakeholders. The presence of a legal framework can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of public-private partnerships.

Additionally, the research highlights the pivotal role of brokers in the success of public-private partnerships. Brokers act as mediators or facilitators between the public and private entities, bridging skill and capacity gaps, and providing technical infrastructure. Their involvement adds value to the collaboration by ensuring effective communication, negotiation, and coordination between the parties, ultimately leading to more successful outcomes.

In conclusion, public-private data partnerships hold tangible value in monitoring and achieving SDGs in the Global South. However, establishing successful collaborations requires time, trust-building, and the involvement of large firms with global reach. The presence of a legal framework and the role of brokers as mediators or facilitators are crucial factors that contribute to the success of public-private partnerships. By considering these elements, stakeholders can enhance their efforts in achieving sustainable development goals in the Global South.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you for joining us today. We have about 23 people in the room and 22 people online, so I think certainly quorum to get started. This session is on public-private data partnerships with a particular focus on the global south, the majority world. We are going to talk about the practical problems and possibilities around public sector and private sector and civil society working together using data to achieve various development objectives, particularly the SDGs. We know the argument that data is essential for understanding where we are in achieving the SDGs and sometimes to actually achieving the SDGs, so not just for monitoring it but for achieving it as well. We have two speakers next to me here, I will introduce each one very briefly because everyone’s bio is online, and we have four speakers online and an online moderator. So I will first invite Philip Schonrock, who is the director of CEPE, an independent think tank that works through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to scale up the participation of Latin America and Caribbean within the global development agendas to set the stage about why on earth do we even need to talk about these public-private data partnerships. Philip, over to you.

Philipp Schönrock:
Well, good morning, Helene, to you a very early morning. Good morning from Cali, Colombia, and I’m happy to join you today. And I’m going right in to what my colleague Elani just mentioned, five think tanks and universities from across the regions, and especially the Global South, as it was mentioned. We came together with the support of IDRC to understand one main point, which was the extents of which the private sector data-related contributions to the public policy in the Global South are adding value. Very specifically, we will be talking about our exploration into three concrete phases. The extents, first, to which and how the private sector has contributed to the so-called data revolution of the SDGs. The second point is that their contribution to good data governance practices. And last but not least, we will be talking today about the challenges that we are facing, not only from the private sector, but especially from government and civil society, attempting to use and to work together on the sources of data. I believe, most importantly, to let my colleagues talk and see what we actually found out through a mapping exercise in five regions in eight case studies with companies and looking at how we actually are able to produce much better value if we monitor and document these actions. And I will, before giving over to Elania before, I believe it is important to mention that across all regions in the Global South, the most successful examples that we have found in public-private data initiatives are the ones which partners have invested. First time, efforts and needed to establish a proof-of-concept, build trust, and adapt and iterate the value. proposition over time. And I believe, Elani, I will turn over to you in mentioning the significant challenges to initiating that we had, completing and monitoring, and especially in scaling up private public data initiatives because the lack of coherence that we found across under development and standards operating procedures needed to develop them. So this is all from my side, Elani, I will hand over to you because a lot of our colleagues will be sharing their insights with us now. So over to you and thank you for giving me the floor. Let me ask you a quick rebuttal question before we move on to the next speaker. Wasn’t this, you know, started with a lot of hype that the private sector would be a huge partner in the SDGs in monitoring? So, I mean, are we, we’re still talking about it seven years from everyone collectively not achieving the SDGs. Is that why this is really important now? Or shouldn’t this have already happened? I mean, private sector should be working quite efficiently with public sector? Yes, we should, and it is not still happening on the, we are still on the hype, but not on the how. I believe we have had quite a lot of good examples, but what we have had is not an enabling environment where the private sector comes together with the other actors. I believe this is something we have seen throughout the last seven years that this hype has not brought together actually the data community and the tech community with the official statistics to close data gaps. And I believe the most important thing to say here is the hype has not remained. It has been losing ground and we are not closing still the data gaps that we need. Good examples are out there. We will show them, but they’re. it’s imperative that we have these partnerships, especially in the Global South, in order to help us in those data gaps like climate change, poverty, inequality, and that’s where we’re still missing the point. And like I said, we are not seeing the enabling environment at all levels in order to prevent.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you, Philippe. I’ve now asked Isuru Samratunga, who’s sitting on my right, your left. He’s a research manager at Learn Asia, which is a pro-poor, pro-market think tank working in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Isuru leads Learn Asia’s qualitative research work across a range of digital technology policy issues. What we’ve asked him to do is to frame the discussion by summarizing some of the findings of this Global South study to understand the state of play through some evidence. Thank you.

Isuru Samaratunga:
Yep, thank you, Helani. And hope you can see my slides. Yes. So actually, Philippe talked about like why public-private data partnerships are important in Global South. So let me take you through some of key findings of our research that we did on public-private data partnerships. So just for you to give you the context, I mean, from this study, we tried to explore the private sector involvement in data-related initiatives. Also then how those initiatives can have an impact on public policies as well. Again, we looked at like how these public-private data partnerships can be contributed to achieve SDGs as well as if you wanna monitor such achievements, how these partnerships can be helped as well. So our study spanned across five regions. in the Global South, so these are the countries and the regions that we covered. And so if I tell you a little bit about the methodology that we followed, so we had two work streams to gather data for this particular study. So first one was like structured mapping study of public-private data partnerships in the Global South. So there we covered 94 countries and also we found 394 data actions. So when I say data actions, that included things like capacity building and skill sharing and also like data collaboration, data governance, data mapping, things like that. And so the second part of this particular study was kind of a qualitative study that we did. So we selected a few, I would say like eight cases from our mapping study and we did in-depth case study based on our mapping study findings as well as, you know, thinking of the diversity of these data partnerships also. So that case, eight case studies also covered five regions. And so let me take you through some of key findings of this particular study. So we saw that not all the SDGs are important as same. So we saw across all the regions, climate actions, sustainable cities and communities, and also good health, well-being are the most prioritized or the common SDGs that were focused through these public- private data partnerships. And also if you take how these SDGs were prioritized by different regions, you see the eyes are different. For example, like in Africa, you see that good health and well-being has become the most important thing, and also in Asia, it is zero hunger and sustainable cities and communities. But if you go to Caribbean region, that’s obviously the quality education. But if you take LATAM and MENA regions, more or less it is climate actions that got the attention in data actions. So what we found from these work streams were mainly like, there is a tangible value or real-world value of these public-private data partnerships. So it helps you to monitor and also achieve sustainable development goals. So we did this study after the pandemic situation, and we saw really how the common thread or the crisis helped on, crisis made different parties to come into partnerships. If I’m giving you an example from Nepal, which we had an earthquake in 2015, where after the crisis, when the vulnerable communities, where they are those things, when the government wanted to find out, the data analytics helped in that front. But also successful partnerships can take time and it needs trust building. So because these partnerships sometimes need a lot of time because you need partnership building, and sometimes you need to have a dedicated person. from, it can be from the private company or from the government organization. And also we are seeing that large firms with global reach are better able to sustain such relationships. And also it is good if there is a legal framework that can be in those countries that can enable the partnerships. And also we saw that some partnerships mostly depend on personal kind of relationships. So we saw some partnerships hadn’t achieved the goals because of certain changes and also due to the informality of those partnerships. So we suggest kind of like a standard operating procedure that might help on those things. And also the government like to engage with private sector data that have an impact on multiple policy areas. For example, one study in Indonesia where we found that a big data analysis of public transport users in Jakarta city where that analysis helped the government to not only to plan their public transport but also to understand the demographics of the people who are using the public transport. For example, like the gender and also the vulnerability, the disabilities of these people and the persons who are using the public transport as well. So that helped a lot in many fronts. And so this brokerage role, it can help the public-private partnerships. When I say brokerage role, it is like as a mediator or kind of a facilitator, you connect the public sector and the private sector because there are like gaps, for example, like skill gaps and also capacity gaps as well. So these brokerage entities can fulfill those gaps and the bridge can be really success and also can provide good insights into data and analytics as well. So also, again, like providing technical infrastructure is also important. That also can be provided by the brokers in certain locations. So these are the main findings that we can share with you from our study, but happy to answer any questions if you have. Thank you.

Helani Galpaya,:
So Isuru, I’m guessing when you did this mapping study, companies and initiatives don’t go and say, oh, we’re working on this SDG. They are working on some partnerships, right? So what do you do? You go and try and read through it and try and assign some SDG, like in that chart that you showed us? Yeah, exactly. So we saw that some organizations, they do a lot of good work, but they don’t know that it can be contributing to one or two or multiple SDG. So in that case, we need to, I mean, from research perspective, if I say, we had kind of a definition on how to identify these SDGs and their contribution to certain achievements and all that. So we did that classification and see where the most of outcomes of those actions are aligned with SDG, and then that’s how we did that. I’m going to come next to… to Mike Flanagan, who is joining us online. He is the corporate vice president at Microsoft, and he leads customer success and services globally for Microsoft’s commercial customers and products. And Microsoft is one of the companies that came up repeatedly in some of the studies, I think, that you were showing. Interestingly, not just about sharing data, but doing a lot more of the data action, setting the standards, providing infrastructure, providing capacity building, and so on, and across all the regions. So Mike, you don’t run a philanthropy, you run a commercial business. How does Microsoft, and perhaps other organizations, but certainly yours, how do you look at this trade-off between generating revenue and what looks like philanthropic activity, which is a government or a civil society organization comes knocking and says, we’ve got a problem, your data can really help us understand where we are or solve that problem?

Mike Flannagan:
I think for us, partially it starts with a culture and the belief that companies that can do more should do more, and certainly Microsoft is in a very fortunate position in terms of our ability to do more. You’ll notice in all of our disclosures, for example, in corporate social responsibility, we do actually map a lot of the work that we do back directly to the SDGs. And because of the way in which we track our work against those, we are not only very proud of what we’re able to do, but we’re able to track a lot of the work that we do back to the direct impact. I think in the past fiscal year for us, we supported nonprofits around the world with nearly $4 billion in discounts and donations, which many technology. providers do. But going beyond that, we also have created the Microsoft Cloud for nonprofits, which is bringing all of our product capabilities together, but around the common data model for nonprofits that brings together data sources for the purposes that most nonprofits need. Things like attracting and growing their donors, delivering their programs at scale, engaging with their audiences. These are things that are common and require a common data model. But we pair that work that we’ve done around the data and the data modeling with discounts and such so that not only are we providing commercially more approachable technology solutions, we’re doing that in a way that also empowers through common data models it to be easier for nonprofits to achieve their mission with a lower overall investment from their organization. And so for Microsoft, we don’t see them as mutually exclusive. We believe that a lot of the work that we do in enabling the commitments that we make around philanthropy actually not only does good for the world, but ultimately helps our commercial objectives. And then we also, as I mentioned, believe that through our commercial objectives, we have a responsibility to give back. One of the things that we talk a lot about is data. And I mentioned some of the data modeling that we’re doing. I think over the past three years, Microsoft has launched 23 different collaborations around data across nonprofits, universities, companies, and governments that help promote access to data. One of the things that we’ve learned from that is that While open data is really important for impact, data doesn’t always have to be fully open in order to be useful. Sometimes even if data can’t be made public due to privacy or commercial sensitivities, there are ways that that data can be used in a more open way so that we can break down some of the silos. I think that’s one of the areas in which we need to continue to do more.

Helani Galpaya,:
And one of the things I think, given Microsoft’s sort of size and large market shares, what you say makes total sense because eventually, even if the market captures in 10 years, you can afford to make those kinds of investments. But I’m curious how it works inside the company. At a large company, the marketing guys are probably on a quarterly sort of bonus or annual bonus scheme, right? The other feedback of the long-term market opening up, because let’s say you’re going to a relatively low digital connectivity country, eventually you will gain high market share for Microsoft products by helping this country achieve some of the digital SDGs. But that’s a sort of a different time frame. Is there a conflict of incentives inside among different sort of business units? And how do you deal with it?

Mike Flannagan:
I mean, of course, there are the realities of the obligations that we have to our shareholders, but part of what we are extremely clear about is that our shareholders expect that, by and large, economic growth must be inclusive. So we don’t hear from our shareholders that it’s all about profit. And so our executives and our people in the way that their compensation is structured also do not hear that it’s all about profit. We believe, of course, that we have responsibilities commercially, but that as we achieve our economic growth as a company, that must be inclusive. We have to help individuals and organizations and communities to succeed because ultimately, if we are doing the things that we need to do, the commercial results will come from that. But also, we will have a world that is more equitable and better for all of us to operate in. If I think about the skills that we need to build around the world, we have a huge gap in skills today around technology, in general, around data in general, cybersecurity and AI are particularly acute areas of need, where if we don’t help with building those skills and helping train people for the jobs of the future, ultimately, we won’t have the people that we need to do the work that fuels our future growth. We see a lot of those investments not only as good for the world but also good for the future of the company. I think those short and long-term objectives can be balanced by commercial organizations.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you, Mike. I’m going to ask Darlington Okongo who is joining us online. He’s the founder and CEO of many companies, including Mino Health AI Labs and others that are working in the AI space. He also interestingly is lead, for example, he’s lead for the topic group on AI for Radiology at the ITU and the WHO focus group on artificial intelligence and health. So, he straddles this very specific AI in a local market, as well as this global multilateral data, health and agriculture kind of roles. So, given these two roles, Darlington… and if you can hear me, could you talk about the biggest sort of challenges in forming partnerships? We know AI is driven by data and your companies may also be producing data. What are the challenges and are they different at a very local national level versus maybe at an international level where you’re trying to do something for the globe? Thank you.

Darlington Ahiale Akogo:
Right, I mean, thank you for having me. That’s a very interesting question. So the starting point is this, public sector, say government, usually have the reach and the assets. So, you know, if you’re looking at the government of a country and you want to do something in agriculture, for example, we did a project in agriculture. The government has extension officers in every district of the country. You in the private sector probably don’t have that reach or it takes a very long time to build that reach. What the private sector really offers, especially if you’re looking at startups, is innovation. So they can come up with how to, you know, better leverage that assets to create new data, create solutions out of it. So that’s the major opportunity that lies there. Now, the challenges is that because, you know, public sector is different, private sector is different, usually there’s a language barrier. And what I mean by that is, you know, public sector communicates a certain way. They go about things in a certain way. They are certain, you know, procedures, which for private sector entity can be quite frustrating to deal with or even understand. And sometimes it feels like, you know, you’re speaking different languages. And so that’s the largest challenge I see. Sometimes too, you need to make it clear what are the incentives from both sides. Because if it’s not clear, then it leads to this. on problematic back and forth, where the government has a certain angle to what they want from the partnership, private sector wants a certain angle. But the language barrier and all of this can usually be solved if you have a facilitating person or entity. So for us, for example, we have someone who has had years of working within that space who were the regional director of AstraZeneca and have done a lot of PPP partnerships. And so when we brought them in, they facilitate all the public sector engagement for us, but also sometimes you can have international development agencies that are funding projects that require PPP. In that case, they can facilitate that kind of relationship because they have extensive years of working with private sector, as well as extensive years of working with government. But to highlight just two of this success, so I mentioned the one in agriculture, we formed a partnership that was actually both government and then public university, and then ourselves. And we’re able to collect data across every single region of Ghana, which is about 16 regions. And then we replicated this in four different African countries. And so this was for disease and pest data sets, which was a project funded by Lacuna Fund. And this data set was then used to build AI solutions to help farmers. And out of this, we ended up creating the largest disease and pest data sets in the world. It wouldn’t have been possible if we didn’t have that PPP. And in healthcare, we built AI systems now that are able to interpret medical images to support detection and everything. And we’ve now formed partnership with public health institutions that are giving us access to about a hundred years of data on Africans. And we are using this data now to build large language models, something similar to let’s say GPT-4, but then for healthcare, for radiology, all the other sectors. combined. And outside of that, we wouldn’t have had access to that data because, you know, you need a public institution that has been around for years to then give you access to that data. And then, you know, you find out how it can be beneficial to them. So we build this AI solutions. Sometimes the public institutions that give us this data use the AI stuff for free without having to pay us. So there has to be clear, objective, clear incentives. And I’m guessing this is anonymized and not personally identifiable data, but that would be one of the policy challenges, particularly in the health sector, less so in agriculture. Do you come across this? And how do you deal with that kind of problems? Policy? Exactly. Yes. So one starting point is data protection laws. You have to look at the data protection laws within the country you’re operating in. And for most of them, you know, they would usually tell you P. So PII should not be something that, you know, you should be dealing with. You should try to anonymize the data. And so Ghana, for example, has had data protection laws for several years now. And it’s quite clear what you can do. You need a consent of users if you need to, you know, assess certain data, even if you anonymize it and everything. So, yeah, you have to look at those. Those laws are important. But the issue sometimes is that some countries don’t have data protection laws. But just to be on the safe side, just take the standard. If you want to use GDPR, which is one of the most, you know, well-defined versions, you can take it and leverage it. And just, you know, in the future, you don’t want to create issues because in healthcare, for example, you are building solutions that are beneficial to people. But at the same time, you don’t want to have to do it in a way that is irresponsible because at the end, it will cause damages to even your good intentions become muddied by bad outcomes. So just to be on the safe side, even if there are no regulations that are preventing you from doing it, just do the right thing. It saves you in the long term.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you, Darlington. We now come to Dr. Mona Dimaidi, who is an entrepreneur and women’s rights advocate and from the Anarja National University in the state of Palestine, who is now joining us online. Mona, you are also an AI researcher. What do you think, I mean, given your sort of professional as well as the academic background, and you’ve worked in multiple countries, right? What do you think are the big challenges in international collaborations on data sharing, particularly when it comes to AI research and applications?

Mona Demaidi:
Thank you so much for your question. I’m very happy to be with all of you today. So I’ll start by saying that we all know that AI research is based on data and having access to data. So international collaboration and data sharing is super important to achieve such good research. So the way I see it is that it’s super important to have that kind of collaboration and data sharing for many reasons. And I’ll start by having access to diverse data resources. So international actual collaboration could help us understand more the local context of different countries, understand more the local challenges of each single country and to work around it. The other main important part in international collaboration is having that kind of pooling resources. So AI research in general, it needs a lot of computational resources, talent, power, and having that kind of sharing resource is super important. Another one important aspect is the cross-cultural understanding. So… The way we work now in terms of research, each country is actually focusing on its own challenges, trying to capture the data in its own context. However, having that kind of international collaboration is super important to ensure that our research is actually getting into a global aspect. And it’s also addressing challenges, which we’re gonna be surprised that most of us are facing it regardless of the countries we’re visiting, living in. So it’s very important to have that kind of cross-cultural understanding. The other main important part of having that kind of international collaboration is the ethics part. Like most countries now that they have the AI mission strategies coming out and AI policies. And one thing that we’re still struggling at is the ethical part. How will we ensure that we’re actually addressing transparency? How are we ensuring that we’re addressing gender equality regarding the data and the resources we’re working on? So having that kind of international collaboration will help us address such an issue. And it’s also gonna help us in terms of data privacy and security. So you asked me at the challenges and obstacles. I think what we’re still facing in terms of research and international collaboration is there is still no structured pipeline between these countries on how to do the data sharing, what kind of policies and data security things we need to focus on. How are we addressing ethics? What kind of data could we work on? You know, like each country has its own legal framework and its own policies. So how could we ensure that we’re actually interacting with each other in a very transparent way and we’re using the data also and deploying the data in a way which actually takes into consideration different aspects of the data. So I think these are the main challenges I’m thinking about. However, again, there’s a lot of opportunities actually in having that kind of international collaboration.

Helani Galpaya,:
So interestingly, I mean, you know, there are data protection laws that are coming up in some countries without any exceptions for taking the data out even. even for research purposes without journalistic exceptions and so on, you just can’t transfer that. So who do you work with across borders? Is it other researchers? And also in terms of techniques, does that mean you have to use sort of sophisticated, federated learning kind of things which keep the data in the countries but still allows you to use it? Or do you have to get special permission to transfer data across the countries?

Mona Demaidi:
So in the MENA region context, we work mostly with researchers from other countries. That’s the main part. The main issues we’re still facing is that a lot of the MENA countries in the MENA region, they still don’t have that kind of legal framework related to data privacy and protection and data access. So this is still a huge challenge. So the way we actually play around it is either we have that kind of consent agreements with the private sector we’re working with. That’s one way to look at it. And another thing is that we usually do the analysis and deployment on their own frameworks and platforms without actually taking the data out. And one main issues we’re still facing is also the lack of awareness in terms of, so yes, we want to do that kind of research where we go and approach the private sector in the MENA region. There is still a lack of awareness on what kind of applications we could apply the AI on. They’re not that much comfortable in actually providing us with their data. And even if they do, they’re super cautious on how the data is gonna be used, how it’s gonna be beneficial from them. The good news is that we did some kind of, I’ll say very good proof of concepts in terms of having international collaboration in the MENA region. So recently we actually deployed an AI bootcamp across the MENA region in which we brought the governmental, private sector and international experts all together in one small platform to give us more understanding about where we’re going, what is the current challenges from the governmental and private sectors, how we could play around, what kind of rules and regulations are we still missing and all of that. And the good news is that there’s a lot of. of promises coming from these sectors. However, we still need to consider the ethical and legal framework in a more cautious way, especially in the MENA region.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you, Mona. We finally come to Rodrigo. So Rodrigo, we heard about the really important role that sort of brokers play in the stuff that Isuru was presenting. And we certainly saw in one of the case studies that he was referring to, like Pulse Lab Jakarta was part of the UN system, had enormous convening power and brought together the government of Indonesia who were data users and wanted to understand what was happening in the country, and private sector partners, including telecom companies, social media companies, et cetera, and brokered the deal and also provided the expertise. So it sounds to me a little bit like, you know, somewhat of your role. So you’re the senior program manager at the Trust for Americas, a not-for-profit affiliated with the Organization of American States, which is an intergovernmental body. So in your experience, what does it take to actually bring these partnerships into life and how do you approach this?

Rodrigo Iriani:
Yes, thank you. And thank you again for inviting us and considering the Trust for this case study. So first, for understanding a little bit better my points, we need to have a context of the Latin American, the Caribbean region as one of the most unequal regions in the world that faces different challenges around the data ecosystem and across different countries, especially in the Caribbean. So the data ecosystem in Latin America has relatively little participation from the private sector, and that is something evident in all the regional conferences around open government and open data. So I would like to just make three points or highlight the three main findings. of the case study that resonates the most with the work we are doing in the region. The first one is one of the points that Philip just mentioned when he started the presentation. The most successful examples of public-private data initiatives are one in which the partners have invested time and effort to establish a proof of concept, build trust and adapt and iterate the value proposition over time. This is especially true for us at the Trust, as we have a distinctive operating model that focuses on the final beneficiary in vulnerable communities, and this is especially important in the fact that Mike just mentioned in terms of tackling the gap in skills that we face in the region. So we as a non-profit organization affiliated with a multilateral organization as the Organization of the American State, we try to implement different projects aligned to the mandates of development, human rights and democracy. But we also have a strong DNA in the private sector component. We as an organization were created as part of the OAS, but as an arm of the private sector to participate in development initiatives. So that is why I think it’s important in the case study where you mentioned the importance of this convening organization and their role in mobilizing private sector actors. One of the main examples that we have is the democratizing innovation in the Americas Program that mainly focuses on capacity building in digital skills and data literacy, promoting co-creation processes and the development of local government. local solutions to local problems. And this specific initiative has been supported by private companies such as Microsoft for the last couple of years, Citi Foundation, but also has an important role in terms of involving local government, local private sector, civil society organizations, and academia as well. In this past nine years, we have impacted over 11,000 beneficiaries, mainly youth, but also representative from civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders. The final two highlights that I would like to mention and that resonates a lot with the work we do in the region is the established relationship of powerful factors in private sector engagement and mobilizing initiatives. And there is a need of active government and private sector initiatives that provide connectivity between this digital and data skills demand, the capacity building, and the employability. Recently, we have noticed a shift in terms of philanthropic support and in terms of the development projects where mainly multilateral development banks, for example, requires more synergy between the private sector, the government entities, and civil society. I think we have a very strong role there in convening all these different partners for the Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, to maybe just mention a specific example in Jamaica and I know we have Dr. Minot on there in the Zoom call that can attest to this effort, is one of our projects called Unleashing the Potential of Jamaican Youth through Empowerment and Training, where we partner with the. Inter-American Development Bank, Microsoft, the National Commercial Bank in Jamaica. We collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Youth and local stakeholders in Jamaica to train 1,500 youth in digital skills and data literacy.

Helani Galpaya,:
So does this make it easier because you guys are a regional organization? Like when you approach a private sector company, are you saying, you know, we’ve got five countries that can use your data? So you’re not at a country-level negotiation or does that not make a difference?

Rodrigo Iriani:
I think that the platform we established in the past 25 years, the relationship we have with multinational organization, with government, local governments, national governments, with other big or multinational or multi-Latina companies, I think that kind of platform allows us to have or generate trust in terms of getting new partners on board. And that has been one of the main strengths or assets that we have as a nonprofit. However, recently and mainly after the pandemic, we also noticed that this is not always evident in terms of supporting or philanthropic donations. This kind of second layer foundations as the trust also faces different challenges in terms of gathering new funding because many of the private sector or other international donors don’t cover, for example, operational costs. So that also required adaptation and try to adapt, well, basically adapt the model to continue impacting the communities we serve.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you. We are open for questions. We have. We have two already, I think, on the chat, and we are happy to take from the audience here as well. But while you gather your thoughts, let’s take the first question from my friend, Naina. Can somebody unmute her, please?

Audience:
I hope someone can hear me, I still can’t have my video on. We can hear you clearly. Thank you. So this has been a very insightful panel, and I’m happy I hopped in. Helani, here is where I’m thinking. In as much as we might want to talk about partnerships between private, public, or at international levels, my question is at the national level. Because that is where the rubber hits the road. What kind of national partnerships between private sector, civil society, and governments are needed for us to have a robust data economy? So my question is on national partnerships. Because for me, that is where the rubber hits the road. Whether it is private data, whether it is government data, open data, what kind of partnerships do we need at national level? Thank you.

Helani Galpaya,:
Would any of the panellists like to take the question? National level partnerships?

Rodrigo Iriani:
I can jump in. really quick. In terms of national partnership and private sector data, what has worked a lot for us, and based on some activities we developed with a regional perspective in terms of using data for social and economic development, such as hackathons or other initiatives where youth can use data to create their solutions. It has worked a lot in terms of partnerships, working between the private sector and national ministries, depending on the topic, but since inception in terms of defining the data sets and being very specific on where we want to focus on the solutions. There’s always a challenge in terms of creating specific outcomes in terms of the use of the data, so since the inception I believe that national ministries are important to be involved in the discussion. If I may add, I think whether it’s a ministry

Helani Galpaya,:
or whether it’s a trusted third party or a not-for-profit, but I think somebody needs to be involved because a lot of the time the value of this data is if multiple companies come together and multiple government departments come together, and particularly if companies are coming together, commercial sensitivity arises. So you know the classic example of taxi data, you know, in a country let’s say like Sri Lanka, they will, you know, Uber will have Uber’s data, the two local companies will have their own data, but it’s in the pooling that’s really valuable for each of the other companies as well. But then there’s commercially sensitive data, so who is going to be trusted, whether it’s a government entity and so on, I think. We have another question. One of the panellists wants to respond to Nena’s question from Ayaleve Shabeshian. I’m sorry, I might be mispronouncing your name. If you can speak or Maurice, our online moderator, can read out her question. Maurice, you want to go? Okay, Ayaleve can’t unmute, so Maurice, you will have to be it. Okay, can you hear me? Yes, we can.

Audience:
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to just read my question. I’m sure I joined this IJF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last year. And then I was advocating, asking questions for the Secretariat to have international standards. So what we do now is we have partnership, private and public partnership. Every country has different data. Every country has different regulation and rules. And every country has also different licensing. So in terms of accessible data, which is information, I think we need to set up international standards at least. So what we see now is each country has tried to tackle with the local government and then also some of the sponsors. And as we observed, there is a big issue. Some of the obstacles of the private company to access the government data, the government is not allowing them to do what they want to do. So that’s actually a great obstacle for the improvement of the technology. So my understanding, my question is now, how we set up a standard for international standards like United Nations, IGF, and at least for the basic framework, then follow that and by the two bylaws, the country law, international law, or standards, and then they can at least start up basic standards all over together, especially South-South cooperation will be important in the future, and we need to concentrate and set up the rule, otherwise it will be distorted data set up and use of the technology improvement. So what are the initiatives? My question is, what are the initiatives from this IGA is actually set up for the internet governance forum, international governance law? That’s my question. So thank you so much.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you for your question. I mean, there’s certainly multiple discussions around cross-border data transfer, and I think the answer in part probably depends on the sensitivity of the data. It also probably screams for a government of Japan representative on this panel to talk about cross-border data transfer with trust, which is one of the initiatives that they have proposed, and there was actually a panel on it yesterday. But to the panelists about international standards to share data across, what can we do? I think Mona, you kind of touched upon that a little bit, but is there any activity at an international level happening on this?

Mona Demaidi:
So I could cover actually the MENA region context. So what we’ve been doing recently, and let’s say an international team which is comprised from the MENA region, representative countries, they actually came together to come with something called, they started with something called the AI ethics in the MENA region, then they created the strategy, and now they’re working more on the data itself. So the way I would say that we, I think we all still baby steps everywhere. And I would say that, and people are still figuring out, and countries, governments are still figuring out on which aspects we need actually to focus on more, especially when it comes to data sharing. And again, as you said, the sensitivity is something that’s still super, super important for us to focus on. And I would say generally that things are moving. We’re still not moving very fast. However, I could see in the MENA region, for example, as I said, most countries now they have their strategies, now most countries now actually working on the ethics, more countries now are seeing how they could start working on the data sharing component. So to be honest, I don’t have the, let’s say the accurate answer for such a question, but some movements are working there, and I will see something coming in the upcoming two years, hopefully.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you, Mona. Maybe Donington want to add something. Thank you. I think we are nearly at the end of the session. There’s a comment from the MENA region about how the data philanthropy has to be fully participatory and inclusive, and a really interesting comment from Weiyu online about, which says the fact of private data partnerships is that big techs treat different countries differently. For instance, they give data access to US academics, but not Singaporean academics. The Global South is again at a disadvantage, and we need to do something to change this imbalance. The previous question on international standards is very relevant here. I would very much agree. And I think we’re out of time, but there is a question from a colleague from Ghana, and I’m gonna read it given a small amount of time. With recent acceptance of technology and management systems in Africa, especially in the health sector, what would be your advice? all these African countries in terms of interoperability and sharing of data in the absence of regional data protection laws. So I think along the same lines really important. I know there are sort of regional initiatives that are happening, but perhaps not fast enough. And the best example from the Central Bank Digital Currency International Data Transactions, SWIFT versus BRICS, as an international standard has been pointed out. So that’s just some of the summary. Two things we would ask of you and the panelists. The first is a very quick two-minute poll. If you can go to slido.com, www.slido.com. Isuru, if you can project that. And you enter this code and there’s one question we would like you to answer. If you go to slido.com and enter 2763179, the question is, the main reason preventing private sector sharing their data that can help monitor achieve the SDGs is, three of these options. Which one? And while everyone does that, I’m going to ask the panelists a question. Whoa, lack of incentives. Okay. Unified on the lack of incentives to do so. Not so much. Okay. While it’s going on live, could the panelists think about, if you had one ask of, in the case of the private sector, if you had one ask of government, if you could change one thing that they do differently, what would it be? That’s a question to Mike and to Darlington. What would you ask them to do differently when it comes to public-private data sharing? From Rodrigo, I’m going to ask, what would you ask private sector to do? differently and government to do differently, one thing. And the same question from Mona. Thank you everybody. So the broad consensus, 75 roughly, three-fourths, the lack of incentives. The second is low capacity of governments and a few responses for policies that actually prevent data sharing. Thank you. Closing round, one-minute interventions. I will start with Mike. Well, first let me just

Mike Flannagan:
say I think the collaboration between our organization and governments around the world is generally quite good and we very much appreciate the partnerships that we enjoy with governments around the world to solve some of our very difficult challenges. I think someone mentioned earlier international standards for data protection. Certainly I think it would be helpful for everyone if we had more global standardization on data privacy, data protection. That would make it much easier to operate on a global scale. I’m not sure if it’s me, I’ve lost the ability to hear you.

Darlington Ahiale Akogo:
Thank you, Mike. I was asking Darlington, what’s your one ask? My biggest ask will be that governments should have the political will to form these partnerships. It makes all the difference. The difference between having a few agencies within government willing to fund PPPs and how far this PPPs go usually tends to be on the political will, and it makes all the difference. So more governments across different countries, more agencies should internally have that bind. They should see the benefit of this partnership, how it could lead to solving the toughest challenges that are within the country, either by using data to better understand them or building AI solutions with that data that can help address those problems. But there needs to be that political will internally to make it happen.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you. Mona, I’ll come to you next.

Mona Demaidi:
Yeah, for the governments, I will say that they have to work on establishing a governance structure to ensure that everybody’s involved and to push having data shared. For the private sector, simply I would say, and that’s based on my experience, they need to work more on understanding how AI could help them and understanding the importance of actually structuring and labeling their data and making it usable for everybody to use.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you. Rodrigo. Thanks.

Rodrigo Iriani:
For the private sector, I would say, to be more flexible and open, we’re working with government entities and share best practices as they operate very differently. And for the public sector, I would say, to strengthen the capacities and create a process inside the government to develop and establish a data culture in the public offices.

Helani Galpaya,:
Thank you. So political will, capacity and data culture within government. Private sector to be a lot more willing to collaborate because they work at different sort of time scales. And across countries and international agreement on how we can share data across borders and international privacy and related laws and protections so we can sort of without worrying, enter into partnerships. Thank you to the panelists and Isuru and as the presenter, thank you to the online audience. and the in-person audience, thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of IGF. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.