National AI Policy Development & Implementation to be Institutionalised within GovTech and Digital Economy Authority, ICTA to Lead in Interim

The Cabinet of Ministers has recently approved the Institutional Framework for the Governance and Execution of Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy Roadmap featuring the immediate incorporation of GovTech (a Government Owned Execution/Implementation Agency) and the setting up in the near future (alongside associated new legislation), of the Digital Economy Authority (DEA - the Apex Policy Setting and Governing Authority). 

Given the all-pervading nature of the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it has been decided to reformulate the workstreams currently undertaken by the ICTA’s AI Advisory Committee, as Institutionalised Programmes within the envisioned institutional framework, with interim placement under the ICTA. 

The move signals a strategic shift to align national AI efforts with the forthcoming Institutional Framework. Workstreams and Programmes thus far led by the Advisory Committee, will be strengthened with institutional capacity and placed under the direct purview of Board Level Programme Leadership as a precursor to subsequent transitioning to GovTech and DEA. The Advisory Committee will accordingly be dissolved.  

The Advisory Committee is recognized to have played a crucial role in shaping early-stage AI strategies and programmes, providing strategic guidance and maturing a wide portfolio of AI related workstreams to the level of institutionalization. 

The establishment of executive leadership and institutional capacity is expected to significantly bolster the momentum on critical AI initiatives.  The ICTA will also engage advisors including from amongst Experts who were engaged on the Advisory Committee, in supplementing institutional capacity in executing the workstreams going forward.  

Key Workstreams to be managed under ICTA leadership will include:

    1. Formulation of the National AI & Data Strategy, alongside the crafting of Policy, Legislative and Institutional frameworks.

    2. High and Immediate Impact AI Project Execution – featuring without limitation 

        a.  AI Centered Trilingual Government Information Center (GIC).

        b. Development of Sinhala and Tamil datasets for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) technologies.

        c. Maintenance and development of the AI.Gov.LK awareness hub website.

    3. National AI Infrastructure Roadmap Development

    4. National AI Capacity Building Programs to enhance skills and expertise.

    5. Programme for AI-driven startup enablement and industry development.

The institutionalization and assignment of executive capacity with respect to National AI Programmes underscores the government’s commitment to harnessing the very latest technologies towards national development, paving the way for a digitally empowered Sri Lanka.