OpenSource.net

Artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure and good coffee: There are lots of interesting sessions and extracurricular activities planned for the second edition of the DPGA annual members meeting.

Here are five things to watch for:

First, we’ll be there! OpenSource.net will be on-site in Addis Ababa to catch the sessions and hear from members about how “open” is influencing their work. The site will be bringing you the latest trends and developments in Open Source software, open data, open educational resources and open standards. We’ll be talking to speakers, attendees, and experts to get their insights on how digital public goods are being used to make a difference in the world. And we’ll be keeping you updated on the latest announcements and initiatives coming out of the conference.

Open Source Initiative AI workshop

As part of its ongoing multi-stakeholder process to define what Open Source artificial intelligence means, the OSI will hold a workshop on “Defining and understanding AI systems as DPG.” This three-hour interactive session (with breaks!) will engage participants in a discussion about the increasingly important role AI plays in the DPG space. However, there’s evident tension between openness and democratization versus closeness and control. This is because AI systems are often trained on opaque datasets, even though their models, architectures, and software are Open Source. This raises the question of what constitutes “Open Source AI.”

The 411 on the 50-in-5

This ambitious project aims to help 50 countries design, launch and scale components of digital public infrastructure by 2028. At the member meeting, Jon Lloyd from the DPGA and Tim Wood from CoDevelop will introduce 50-in-5 (fast on the heels of its official November 8 launch) highlighting the importance of safe and inclusive infrastructure and showcasing real-world examples of successful digital public infrastructure deployments. We’re especially looking forward to learning about different approaches to architecting DPI through DPGs and how they can unlock the transformative potential of DPI through international collaboration. This is the first DPGA member meeting for the e OSI, which joined in February 2023.
OSI’s work aligns with that of the DPGA in many ways, including three OSI initiatives that will be included as part of the DPGA’s Annual Roadmap for 2023.

DPGs: why they matter for climate action

DPGs have the potential to play a vital role in climate action, equipping organizations and countries to combat climate change. With the world ramping up climate efforts, the role of local communities and technological deployment cannot be overlooked.
Two initiatives, Open Earth Platform Initiative (OpenEPI) and the UNDP’s exploration of payments for ecosystem services, show the power of DPGs to address climate change holistically. OpenEPI, an initiative by Norad, is developing a foundational toolkit for quickly building solutions to combat climate change. UNDP, recognizing the need for a holistic approach to tackling climate change, is exploring the potential of payments for ecosystem services. Norad and UNDP will discuss the potential and implications of their work and the role that DPGA members can play.

Show & Share Activity Fair

We’re looking forward to wandering around the fair before the plenary starts to mingle with DPGA members informally. With participants ranging from the World Bank to the Ethiopian government, we’re excited about this platform to showcase work and to share insights. It’ll be interesting to see, outside the session setting, different ways to use digital public goods to address global challenges, and gather ideas for how to implement what’s next.

Organizers state that the final goal of the three-day gathering is to have fun. We can’t wait to get to know other members and tell their stories, stay tuned!

Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash