The government has drafted a policy on AI to encourage responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The draft includes an ambitious plan to establish a new institutional structure for AI regulation and promotion, such as a regulatory council, a national AI center, an AI excellence center, an AI incubation hub, and mechanisms to coordinate and collaborate on AI at the provincial and local levels.

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology released the draft of 'National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2081' on Tuesday for opinions and suggestions. It has been proposed to form an 'AI Regulation Council' to act in accordance with ethical guidelines and international standards for the development and use of AI and to prepare a legal structure related to AI. It is mentioned in the draft that the Minister of Communications will be the Chairman and the Chief Member Secretary of the National AI Center.

Under paragraph 2 of the draft policy, policy 7.1 states that legal and institutional arrangements will be made for the creation of an 'ecosystem' of AI. Policy 9.9 mentions the establishment of a regulatory council and 9.10 establishes a National AI Center as the main body related to AI in the draft.

9.11 Building a mechanism for coordinating and collaborating on AI at the provincial and local levels and 9.12 "Encouraging the establishment of AI Excellence Centers for the study, research and development of AI in federal and provincial universities and study and research bodies" It has been said.

Draft Policy 9.30 mentions arranging an 'AI Incubation Hub' in collaboration with academic institutions, industry, private and government bodies. Policy 10.1 under Chapter 3 mentions the composition of the AI ​​Regulatory Council, members, secretariat,  functions, duties and powers of the Council.

according to which the Governor of the National Bank, along with the office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, the Secretary of the Ministry of Communication, Finance, Industry, Education, Science and Technology, the Secretary of the National Planning Commission, the Chief Executive Officer of the E-Governance Board, and the Chairman of the Nepal Telecommunication Authority will be members of the committee. It will have a total of 14 members including two from organizations related to the private sector and three experts.

The work and duties of the regulatory council state that 'the council will issue ethical guidelines and standards for the development and use of AI, focusing on key issues such as fairness, accountability, transparency, non-discrimination, protection of intellectual property and protection of human rights'. It is mentioned that the AI ​​Center, which is supposed to be established under the Ministry of Communication, will "regulate the development and use of AI at the national level, formulate the quality and standards of goods and services related to AI". 

The AI ​​Excellence Center, to be established at Union and provincial level universities and research institutions related to AI, will conduct research on innovations in AI technology. The Center has been assigned tasks, duties and powers such as managing data used in AI research and development, using AI technology in health, education, agriculture and other social sectors, giving priority to data privacy, ethics and transparency.  Building the digital infrastructure necessary for the development and use of

AI is covered in policy 8.3. Under this, the government has been proposed to expand high-speed internet services using technologies such as 5G and Beyond, software-defined network and fiber-optic, to build international level data centers and cloud infrastructure.

The draft AI policy also mentions that the government will prepare a National AI Index. The draft also calls for the preparation of standards for the management of risks, wrong or false information transmission that may occur through AI. Promoting investment and financial facilitation to increase innovation and entrepreneurship related to AI, increasing the use of AI to make public service delivery more effective, to face the challenges that may be posed to the country's sovereignty, geographical integrity, national interest, self-respect and national independence through AI, and AI technology, infrastructure, It is mentioned in the proposed policy to create laws for the development, use and regulation of human resources. 

'To ensure ethical AI development and use and prepare standards regarding transparency and accountability of data algorithms and techniques used in AI' is also stated in the draft policy. "Implement appropriate security techniques and access control systems to protect data during data collection, storage and processing," the draft states. 

Establishing a control system so that authorized persons and systems can access sensitive data for AI studies, research and development, encouraging startups through tax breaks and grants to promote innovation and entrepreneurship through private investment in AI research and development and public-private partnerships It is sought to adopt a policy.