AI law to be flexible, yet strict to mitigate harm

The government is formulating an artificial intelligence (AI) law that will largely be flexible to foster innovation while strict in some aspects to mitigate potential harm caused by the unrestricted use of such technologies, according to top government policymakers.

"The law that we will formulate, in my humble opinion, should come with much flexibility. We have to be strict only in some areas which we will regulate," said Law Minister Anisul Huq.

"It's because we will have to adapt to the changes that will come about in the field of AI technology in the coming days, months and years," he said.

He was speaking at a meeting with stakeholders to initiate the formulation of the "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act", organised by the ICT Division at Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday.

The law minister said, while other laws had been drafted before discussions were held with stakeholders, the AI law would be prepared after thorough discussions with stakeholders.

The law will be finalised through discussions at every stage, starting with the drafting of an outline, he said.

"There should be a connection between the law and the policy on AI," he added.

The government decided to formulate the AI act considering its inherent risks and potential, said Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT.

The pivotal considerations for the law are regulation, innovation, expansion, and coordination, he said.

He also placed emphasis on the necessity for a cohesive approach to legislative efforts.

At the beginning of the meeting, Md Abdul Bari, policy advisor of the Enhancing Digital Government and Economy project of the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), delivered a presentation focusing on global initiatives related to AI and key considerations pertinent to legislations.

During the meeting, participants expressed their views on a range of topics, including the utilisation of AI, policy frameworks, employment implications, data protection, and the education system.

They called for the establishment of a committee comprising representatives from both the government and private sectors to facilitate the drafting of the AI law.

They also emphasised that the evolution and adoption of AI should not result in job losses, rather, efforts should be directed towards creating diverse employment opportunities.

AI should be trained with data related to the local culture and it has to develop its own moral aspects, said Brig Gen Mohammad Khalil-ur-Rahman, director general for systems and services division of the BTRC.

Apart from this, the liabilities and persons responsible in case of any crime involving AI should be determined, he said.

There are dire risks related to AI use in Bangladesh as there is a digital divide, he said.

Whether people can afford to use this technology has to be kept in mind. Apart from this, high speed internet will be required to use AI, he added.

There are many laws and policies being formulated in the IT sector, said Md Saimum Reza Talukder, a senior lecturer at the School of Law at BRAC University.

Failure to cope with the laws of foreign countries may cause problems in businesses or government work in the future, he said.

Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, chairman of the BTRC, Md Shamsul Arefin, secretary to the ICT Division, and Md Golam Sarwar, secretary to the law and justice division, also spoke.