To foster further growth and innovation in the digital space, the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) will be introducing an Internet of Things (IoT) Network Service Provider Licence commencing September 1.
Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha announced this yesterday in his keynote address at the Digital Future Conference 2024 at the Bridex Banquet Hall.
The minister said the licence will promote responsible and sustainable deployment of IoT technologies while safeguarding the interests of users and broader society through addressing concerns such as data security, privacy protection and service performance.
The minister also shared the latest developments in the Sultanate’s digital landscape, including the development of guidelines on artificial intelligence (AI) governance and ethics for Brunei Darussalam and strategy on the development and implementation of AI initiatives for Brunei Darussalam.
On the development of AI governance and ethics guide, Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary said, “With its ability to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make autonomous decisions, AI holds great promise for improving numerous aspects of our lives.
From revolutionising healthcare with advanced diagnostics to streamlining supply chains in manufacturing, AI is opening doors to advancements that were once considered futuristic.
“Yet these advancements also bring significant challenges that require our collective attention.
“A growing trend of AI-generated deepfakes presents serious challenges as they can be employed maliciously to spread misinformation, commit fraud, and damage reputations by generating convincing but false content.”
Therefore, he said, “It is essential that we establish a comprehensive control framework to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly and equitably, thereby driving innovation and creating meaningful value.”
An AI Governance and Ethics Working Group led by AITI and comprising representatives from various governmental and non-government agencies, private sector and academia have come together to develop the guide, offering a broad range of considerations for organisations designing, developing, and deploying AI by taking into account the complexity of the technology, and associated risks of the AI systems.
Recognising the role of government in promoting the responsible and beneficial use of AI technologies, the minister said the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) is also formulating an AI strategy on the development and implementation of AI initiatives for Brunei Darussalam.
The strategy will focus on policy development, talent development, infrastructure and ecosystem, research and innovation, public engagement as well as monitoring and evaluation of AI systems.
“Given the fast-evolving space of AI we believe the strategy will be periodically reviewed and assessed, in consultation with industry partners, to ensure that it is up to date with the latest advancements in the AI space,” Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary said.
On cybersecurity developments in the Sultanate, the minister said, “In a world where we are more connected than ever, and more dependent on digital technologies than ever, lest we forget the need to build our digital resilience.
“Information technology (IT) outages, especially those affecting essential services and critical infrastructure, can underscore the vulnerabilities inherent in our digital dependency.”
He reiterated the importance of preparedness, having contingency plans, disaster recovery strategies, and incident response protocols to address and recover from IT incidents effectively following, referencing the recent CrowdStrike IT outage, whose impact in Brunei was largely contained to organisations subscribed to the service or whose operation were part of a regional or global supply chains or networks.
The minister said, “Cybersecurity plays a pivotal role in safeguarding our digital infrastructure and data from malicious actions.
“In a world where cyber threats are evolving at a growing rate, Brunei will continue to enhance its cybersecurity measures and resilience against the challenges of the digital age to protect its citizens, businesses and critical information infrastructure.” – James Kon
