Paper by Massimiliano Luca et al: “We introduce Civic Digital Twin (CDT), an evolution of Urban Digital Twins designed to support a citizen-centric transformative approach to urban planning and governance. CDT is being developed in the scope of the Bologna Digital Twin initiative, launched one year ago by the city of Bologna, to fulfill the city’s political and strategic goal of adopting innovative digital tools to support decision-making and civic engagement. The CDT, in addition to its capability of sensing the city through spatial, temporal, and social data, must be able to model and simulate social dynamics in a city: the behavior, attitude, and preference of citizens and collectives and how they impact city life and transform transformation processes. Another distinctive feature of CDT is that it must be able to engage citizens (individuals, collectives, and organized civil society) and other civic stakeholders (utilities, economic actors, third sector) interested in co-designing the future of the city. In this paper, we discuss the motivations that led to the definition of the CDT, define its modeling aspects and key research challenges, and illustrate its intended use with two use cases in urban mobility and urban development…(More)”.
Synthetic content and its implications for AI policy: a primer
UNESCO Paper: “The deployment of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, particularly generative AI, has sparked discussions regarding the creation and use of synthetic content – i.e. AI-generated or modified outputs, including text, images, sounds, and combinations thereof – and its impact on individuals, societies, and economies. This note explores the different ways in which synthetic content can be generated and used and proposes a taxonomy that encompasses synthetic media and deepfakes, among others. The taxonomy aims to systematize key characteristics, enhancing understanding and informing policy discussions. Key findings highlight both the potential benefits and concerns associated with synthetic content in fields like data analytics, environmental sustainability, education, creativity, and mis/disinformation and point to the need to frame them ethically, in line with the principles and values of UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Finally, the note brings to the fore critical questions that policymakers and experts alike need to address to ensure that the development of AI technologies aligns with human rights, human dignity, and fundamental freedoms…(More)”.
Social licence for health data
Evidence Brief by NSW Government: “Social licence, otherwise referred to as social licence to operate, refers to an approval or consensus from the society members or the community for the users, either as a public or private enterprise or individual, to use their health data as desired or accepted under certain conditions. Social licence is a dynamic and fluid concept and is subject to change over time often influenced by societal and contextual factors.
The social licence is usually indicated through ongoing engagement and negotiations with the public and is not a contract with strict terms and conditions. It is, rather, a moral and ethical responsibility assumed by the data users based on trust and legitimacy, It supplements the techno-legal mechanisms to regulate the use of data.
For example, through public engagement, certain values and principles can emerge as pertinent to public support for using their data. Similarly, the public may view certain activities relating to their data use as acceptable and beneficial, implying their permission for certain activities or usecase scenarios. Internationally, although not always explicitly referred to as a social licence, the most common approach to establishing public trust and support and identifying common grounds or agreements on acceptable practices for use of data is through public engagement. Engagement methods and mechanisms for gaining public perspectives vary across countries (Table 1).
− Canada – Health Data Research Network Canada reports on social licence for uses of health data, based on deliberative discussions with 20 experienced public and patient advisors. The output is a list of agreements and disagreements on what uses and users of health data have social licence.
− New Zealand – In 2022, the Ministry of Health commissioned a survey on public perceptions on use of personal health information. This report identified conditions under which the public supports the re-use of their data…(More)”.
Rethinking the Measurement of Resilience for
Food and Nutrition Security
Paper by John M. Ulimwengu: “This paper presents a novel framework for assessing resilience in food systems, focusing on three dynamic metrics: return time, magnitude of deviation, and recovery rate. Traditional resilience measures have often relied on static and composite indicators, creating gaps in understanding the complex responses of food systems to shocks. This framework addresses these gaps, providing a more nuanced assessment of resilience in agrifood sectors. It highlights how integrating dynamic metrics enables policymakers to design tailored, sector-specific interventions that enhance resilience. Recognizing the data intensity required for these metrics, the paper indicates how emerging satellite imagery and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) can make data collection both high-frequency and location-specific, at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. These technologies facilitate a scalable approach to resilience measurement, enhancing the accuracy, timeliness, and accessibility of resilience data. The paper concludes with recommendations for refining resilience tools and adapting policy frameworks to better respond to the increasing challenges faced by food systems across the world…(More)”.
The Collaboration Playbook: A leader’s guide to cross-sector collaboration
Playbook by Ian Taylor and Nigel Ball: “The challenges facing our societies and economies today are so large and complex that, in many cases, cross-sector collaboration is not a choice, but an imperative. Yet collaboration remains elusive for many, often being put into the ‘too hard’ category. This playbook offers guidance on how we can seize collaboration opportunities successfully and rise to the challenges.
The recommendations in the playbook were informed by academic literature and practitioner experience. Rather than offer a procedural, step-by-step guide, this playbook offers provoking questions and frameworks that applies to different situations and objectives. While formal aspects such as contracts and procedures are well understood, it was found that what was needed was guidance on the intangible elements, sometimes referred to as ‘positive chemistry’. The significance of aspects like leadership, trust, culture, learning and power in cross-sector collaborations can be the game-changers for productive endeavours but are hard to get right.
Structured around these five key themes, the playbook presents 18 discreet ‘plays’ for effective collaboration. The plays allow the reader to delve into specific areas of interest to gain a deeper understanding of what it means for their collaborative work.
The intention of the playbook is to provide a resource that informs and guides cross-sector leaders. It will be especially relevant for those working in, and partnering with, central and local government in an effort to improve social outcomes…(More)”.
Data for Better Governance: Building Government Analytics Ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean
Report by the Worldbank: “Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean face significant development challenges, including insufficient economic growth, inflation, and institutional weaknesses. Overcoming these issues requires identifying systemic obstacles through data-driven diagnostics and equipping public officials with the skills to implement effective solutions.
Although public administrations in the region often have access to valuable data, they frequently fall short in analyzing it to inform decisions. However, the impact is big. Inefficiencies in procurement, misdirected transfers, and poorly managed human resources result in an estimated waste of 4% of GDP, equivalent to 17% of all public spending.
The report “Data for Better Governance: Building Government Analytical Ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean” outlines a roadmap for developing government analytics, focusing on key enablers such as data infrastructure and analytical capacity, and offers actionable strategies for improvement…(More)”.
Civic Engagement & Policymaking Toolkit
About: “This toolkit serves as a guide for science centers and museums and other science engagement organizations to thoughtfully identify and implement ways to nurture civic experiences like these across their work or deepen ongoing civic initiatives for meaningful change within their communities…
This toolkit outlines a Community Science Approach, Civic Engagement & Policymaking, where science and technology are factors in collective civic action and policy decisions to meet community goals. It includes:
- Guidance for your team on how to get started with this work,
- An overview of what Civic Engagement & Policymaking as a Community Science Approach can entail,
- Descriptions of four roles your organization can play to authentically engage with communities on civic priorities,
- Examples of real collaborations between science engagement organizations and their partners that advance community priorities,
- Tools, guides, and other resources to help you prepare for new civic engagement efforts and/or expand or deepen existing civic engagement efforts…(More)”.
No Escape: The Weaponization of Gender for the Purposes of Digital Transnational Repression
Report by Citizen Lab: “…we examine the rising trend of gender-based digital transnational repression (DTR), which specifically targets women human rights defenders in exile or in the diaspora, using gender-specific digital tactics aimed at silencing and disabling their voices. Our research draws on the lived experiences of 85 women human rights defenders, originating from 24 home countries and residing in 23 host countries, to help us understand how gender and sexuality play a central role in digital transnational repression…(More)”.
AI adoption in the public sector
Two studies from the Joint Research Centre: “…delve into the factors that influence the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public sector organisations.
A first report analyses a survey conducted among 574 public managers across seven EU countries, identifying what are currently the main drivers of AI adoption and providing 3 key recommendations to practitioners.
Strong expertise and various organisational factors emerge as key contributors for AI adoptions, and a second study sheds light on the essential competences and governance practices required for the effective adoption and usage of AI in the public sector across Europe…
The study finds that AI adoption is no longer a promise for public administration, but a reality, particularly in service delivery and internal operations and to a lesser extent in policy decision-making. It also highlights the importance of organisational factors such as leadership support, innovative culture, clear AI strategy, and in-house expertise in fostering AI adoption. Anticipated citizen needs are also identified as a key external factor driving AI adoption.
Based on these findings, the report offers three policy recommendations. First, it suggests paying attention to AI and digitalisation in leadership programmes, organisational development and strategy building. Second, it recommends broadening in-house expertise on AI, which should include not only technical expertise, but also expertise on ethics, governance, and law. Third, the report advises monitoring (for instance through focus groups and surveys) and exchanging on citizen needs and levels of readiness for digital improvements in government service delivery…(More)”.
AI Investment Potential Index: Mapping Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development
Paper by AFD: “…examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) investment to drive sustainable development across diverse national contexts. By evaluating critical factors, including AI readiness, social inclusion, human capital, and macroeconomic conditions, we construct a nuanced and comprehensive analysis of the global AI landscape. Employing advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, we identify nations with significant untapped potential for AI investment.
We introduce the AI Investment Potential Index (AIIPI), a novel instrument designed to guide financial institutions, development banks, and governments in making informed, strategic AI investment decisions. The AIIPI synthesizes metrics of AI readiness with socio-economic indicators to identify and highlight opportunities for fostering inclusive and sustainable growth. The methodological novelty lies in the weight selection process, which combines statistical modeling and also an entropy-based weighting approach. Furthermore, we provide detailed policy implications to support stakeholders in making targeted investments aimed at reducing disparities and advancing equitable technological development…(More)”.