DIGITALEUROPE's participation at CEATEC Japan 2018

DIGITALEUROPE, together with our Japanese and US partners, JEITA and ITI, co-hosted a high-level public-private sector meeting on AI and data utilization policies at CEATEC Japan 2018.

The meeting held on 17 October at CEATEC Japan 2018 offered a great opportunity to deepen common understanding among government and industry in the three regions.

Private sector representatives exchanged views with policymakers to better understand the role that data flows and digital technologies such as AI play in innovation and economic growth across all sectors of the global economy.

The focus of the discussion was the identification of those issues that should be reflected in the agenda on digital and technology innovation at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Trade and Digital Economy and the G20 Summit to be held in Japan in June 2019, as well as at the G7 meeting in France the same year. The following were suggested by private sector representative as critical elements to be covered at these fora:

• Facilitate the free flow of data across borders and refrain from imposing localization measures requiring the local storage or processing of data or the use of local computer facilities. Work constructively with countries that have adopted these measures to identify alternative means to address the goal of data protection.
• Oppose measures that require companies to transfer, or provide access to, technologies such as source code, algorithms, encryption keys, or other sensitive information as a condition of doing business.
• Extend high-level privacy protection that ensures international interoperability, while refraining from privacy measures that are arbitrary or discriminatory and unnecessarily limit the free flow of data across borders.
• Ensure that measures taken to enhance cybersecurity are not also used for protectionist purposes.
• Develop human resources and encourage the creation of new jobs in emerging business areas (e.g. IoT and AI).
• Ensure the responsible design and deployment of AI systems, including addressing safety and controllability mechanisms, the use of robust and representative data, and enabling greater interoperability. Highly autonomous AI systems must be designed consistent with international conventions that preserve human dignity, rights, and freedoms.

In addition to the above, participants also recognized the importance of transparent processes for developing standards and technical regulations; global, consensus-based, industry-led development of standards; commitment to open markets; and the reduction of discriminatory regulatory barriers.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the three associations agreed to work together to develop recommended outcomes for the G20 in Japan and G7 in France next year and provide those recommendations to their respective governments.