The State of Artificial Intelligence in the Pacific Islands

🔬 Research Summary by Simran Singh. Simran is a Research Associate at the AI Asia Pacific Institute with a law degree from India and an MBA from Singapore Management University, focusing on researching the implications of AI on technology and policy.

[Original paper by Kelly Forbes, Dr Peter Brimble, Simran Singh, Ian Yihwan Cho]

Overview: This report by the AI Asia Pacific Institute examines the state of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Pacific Islands, focusing on its opportunities and challenges. It highlights AI’s potential to address critical issues like climate change, geographic isolation, labor shortages, and cultural preservation. The report also outlines the region’s readiness for AI adoption, noting gaps in infrastructure, governance, and digital literacy.

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformative potential for addressing unique challenges in the Pacific Islands, such as climate vulnerability, limited resources, and economic constraints. This report evaluates AI’s current landscape and governance in the Pacific region, explores lessons from global contexts like the US, EU, and ASEAN, and provides tailored recommendations.

The researchers analyzed AI applications, governance, and digital infrastructure in the Pacific Islands. The findings show a diverse range of development stages across nations, with Australia and New Zealand leading the region. The study underscores the importance of regional collaboration, digital literacy, and tailored AI strategies

Overview

The Pacific Islands comprise a diverse group of nations and territories scattered across the Pacific Ocean. They include the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The Pacific Islands face unique challenges including geographic isolation, vulnerability to natural disasters, climate change, labor shortages, and the need to preserve their rich cultural heritage.

AI, particularly Gen AI, offers the potential to improve disaster forecasting and response, enhance healthcare and education delivery, optimize resource management, support cultural preservation, and promote sustainable development, thereby creating new opportunities for growth and resilience in the Pacific Islands. However, AI adoption varies across the region.

AI Adoption in the Pacific Islands

This report focuses on AI developments in the Pacific Islands and looks closely at the challenges faced by the Island States. It further looks at how AI can combat these challenges and the areas where progress can be made through the adoption of digital technologies.

Case studies of AI adoption in the Pacific Islands include:

Case 1: UNCDF and Tractable partnering to utilize AI for faster disaster recovery in Fiji. This involves a smartphone app for residents to quickly report property damage after disasters.
Case 2: The Australian government partnering with Microsoft to explore the use of generative AI in public services through a six-month trial.
Case 3: The IMF developing a method using satellite data to track trade in Pacific Island countries, aiding in data-driven policy responses.

There is currently no active AI strategy in the 16 Pacific Island countries and AI readiness remains weak, but all recognize AI’s potential importance with steps taken to initiate projects ranging from digital payment systems to medical record software. The Pacific Islands in general have not yet developed systematic and comprehensive government-led AI governance and ethics frameworks, with their efforts primarily directed towards broader digital and ICT initiatives. Data protection and privacy laws are limited in the region, with significant progress needed to support emerging technologies.

Key Lessons Learned

Underdevelopment of AI and ICT: Pacific Island nations generally lack AI-related strategies, making it critical for the establishment of suitable strategies, regulatory frameworks, and ICT infrastructure to foster sustainable and appropriate AI development in the region.
Weak Awareness of AI: While there are attempts to introduce AI, most efforts are focused on ICT. Enhanced awareness of the potential and risks of AI is required.
Challenges posed for Regional Coordination: The dispersal and uniqueness of each island state make a one-size-fits-all solution difficult, highlighting the need for more active ICT and AI-dedicated regional bodies and initiatives. These would focus on supporting well coordinated, continuous strategies that foster long-term linkages and sustained collaboration.
Global Cooperation: Established guidelines from the US, China, and the EU provide a late-mover advantage for the Pacific Islands to selectively adopt best practices. Australia and New Zealand’s AI strategies and guidelines can also serve as useful references tailored to the Pacific region.

Future Directions & Recommendations

Develop Foundational AI Guidelines and Approaches for the Pacific Islands: This includes AI development guidance tailored to the unique conditions of the Pacific Islands, national AI strategies and roadmaps, and the establishment of a Pacific Island AI Technical Assistance Facility to facilitate the development and implementation of country-focused AI strategies, offering specialized expertise, and helping to tackle emerging AI challenges through capacity-building programs and resource allocation.
Strengthen AI Regulatory Frameworks for the Pacific Islands: Encourage Pacific Island nations to collaborate on regulatory standards, ensuring consistency and facilitating seamless AI adoption across the region.
Raise Digital Literacy and Awareness: Undertake a range of activities to make AI education accessible to all segments of society, especially in remote areas.
Strengthen International and Regional Cooperation: Foster collaboration with key regional entities and international governmental organizations to deepen ICT and AI partnerships and enhance mutual support. In particular, explore specific opportunities for collaboration in AI-related domains with ASEAN countries under the ASEAN-Pacific Islands Forum Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023, fostering cross-regional partnerships and knowledge sharing.
Emphasize Pacific Islanders’ AI Agency: Encourage active engagement and collaboration of Pacific Islanders

Between the lines

The findings highlight the immense potential of AI to transform the Pacific Islands but expose significant gaps in readiness and governance. The emphasis on digital literacy and inclusive AI strategies is critical to ensuring equitable benefits. Future research should explore the integration of AI in indigenous contexts, assessing long-term impacts on cultural preservation and economic sustainability.