# Notes from Nairobi workshop on workshop on governing new and emerging digital technologies **URL:** \ **Category:** UK Open Government Network\ **Created:** [15 March 2024 19:57 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/notes-from-nairobi-workshop-on-workshop-on-governing-new-and-emerging-digital-technologies/2791 "2024-03-15T19:57:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![timdavies](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/timdavies/32/12_2.png) [@timdavies](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/u/timdavies)\ **Post date:** [15 March 2024 19:57 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/notes-from-nairobi-workshop-on-workshop-on-governing-new-and-emerging-digital-technologies/2791/1 "2024-03-15T19:57:11Z")
Hello all, I had the opportunity this week to attend a workshop on governing new and emerging digital technologies, organised by the [Open Government Partnership](https://www.opengovpartnership.org/), in Nairobi, Kenya, along with a UK govt representative. To try and capture some of the discussions (whilst respecting the Chatham House rule of proceedings) I’ve [written up this brief blog post, also copied below](https://www.timdavies.org.uk/2024/03/15/exploring-future-uk-open-government-actions-on-digital-governance-nairobi-workshop/). Tim # Exploring future UK open government actions on digital governance Over the first 1.5 days we had the great privilege to hear from civil society and government presenters from across 11 countries about current digital governance actions, agendas and challenges. Then our focus turned to prospective future open government and digital governance actions, working in country clusters. The current [UK Open Government National Action Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-action-plan-for-open-government-2024-2025/uk-national-action-plan-for-open-government-2024-2025) which runs 2024 – 2025 notes that while _“there are currently no commitments on climate change or digital governance … we look forward to pursuing these in the next plan”_ . Below I’ve tried to capture some of the potential themes for UK focus that came up in the discussion. These are shared (in no official capacity – simply as an independent civil society attendee at the workshop) not as fully-formed proposals, but as rough outlines that could be explored more, and discussed to see whether any deserve a little more colouring in. ### **An Open Government mission in a renewed Roadmap for Digital and Data** With the current [UK Roadmap for Digital and Data](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/roadmap-for-digital-and-data-2022-to-2025/transforming-for-a-digital-future-2022-to-2025-roadmap-for-digital-and-data) (based around six ‘missions’ for government digital) also running until the end of 2025, the UK Open Government process _could_ provide an opportunity to feed public priorities into the roadmap, or call for a mission that better embeds open government values of Transparency, Participation and Accountability into the roadmap. ### **Renewing the open data agenda** Open data was a big feature of the first four UK National Action Plans, but a lot of momentum has been lost. At the same time, as [Renata Avilla and I recently argued in the conclusion to the revised edition of The State of Open Data](https://www.d4d.net/state-of-open-data/conclusion/v2), the critical creation of open data infrastructures remains as important as ever. Building on thinking about [a potential ‘Fourth Wave of Open Data](https://medium.com/data-stewards-network/towards-a-fourth-wave-of-open-data-7bb33b0afe65#:~:text=Selected%20Readings%20on%20Open%20Data%20and%20Generative%20AI,-Hannah%20Chafetz&text=Generative%20AI%20tools%20are%20increasingly,open%20data%20policies%20and%20programs.)’ (GovLab), government progress on [developing an internal data marketplace](https://cddo.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/13/discovering-data-across-government/), as well as [design work to rethink the potential role of open data portals](https://dataportals.pubpub.org/), there is both a need and opportunity to convene conversations around how to refresh, refine and renew an open data agenda in the UK. ### **Embedding Transparency, Participation and Accountability in AI Governance** We face not so much a shortage of evidence on public attitudes on AI in general, or on public perspectives about particular applications of AI in public services, as we face a gulf between the places where public engagement is happening, and the places where the promotion and governance of AI are taking place. For example, the [introduction to the work of the AI Safety Institute](https://cddo.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/13/discovering-data-across-government/) mentions public input just once, and while [the ai.gov.uk incubator promote a recent demonstrator of AI for consultation analysis](https://ai.gov.uk/projects/consultations/) they make no mention of recent public deliberations (commissioned by DFT) [exploring public perspectives on the use of AI in consultations and correspondence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-attitudes-to-the-use-of-ai-in-dft-consultations-and-correspondence). Some of the recent feedback I’ve heard on the [Perspectives on the AI Fringe report](https://aifringe.org/#perspectives) has highlighted the value that having a public perspectives chapter (from the People’s Panel on AI) has had. Building on this – could we not be asking that the reports of the AI Safety Institute should include a public perspectives chapter, and that central government experiments with AI should demonstrate how they have either built on existing relevant public engagement, or carried out direct engagement with affected communities during the innovation process? ### **Other areas for action** Drawing on both our country discussions, and listening to action plan ideas from other countries at the workshop, there are a number of other ideas that could be in the mix (though I’ve not worked up these more than a bullet point right now): - **Improving public input into AI procurement processes** either at the national level, and/or by providing frameworks and support for greater participatory practice around AI procurement in local public services. - **Adopting a thematic approach** focussing for example on actions that explore [transparency, participation and accountability around EdTech](https://connectedbydata.org/events/2024-02-26-connected-conversation-edtech), or exploring the intersection between digital governance and climate change. ## **Where to go from here?** One of the OGP speakers earlier today reflected on the journey towards strong actions and commitments: noting the need to build civil society and government coalitions around particular actions, and to find the champions. It’s notable that the [UK Roadmap for Digital and Data](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/roadmap-for-digital-and-data-2022-to-2025/transforming-for-a-digital-future-2022-to-2025-roadmap-for-digital-and-data) adopts a [mission-oriented approach](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/research/mission-oriented-innovation) that names responsible government stakeholders. One of the key challenges then for the multi-stakeholder groups around open government in the UK is not to wait for the next national action plan cycle to start, but to be thinking now (albeit accepting possible temporary election distractions…) about building conversations and coalitions that might own and advance improved digital governance commitments in future. ---
**Author:** ![Humanner](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/humanner/32/715_2.png) [@Humanner](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/u/Humanner)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2024 03:50 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/notes-from-nairobi-workshop-on-workshop-on-governing-new-and-emerging-digital-technologies/2791/2 "2024-03-18T03:50:23Z")
Hi @timdavies Please join to this conversation: > [@"Renew the UK Open Government Network" - Call for EU Horizon consortium](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/renew-the-uk-open-government-network-call-for-eu-horizon-consortium/2489): > > To Whom It May Concern I would like to ask your help to find consortium members from the Open Government Civil Society Network for the Digital Democracy - EU Horizon tender. Tender link: [Funding & tenders](https://kutt.it/7fZhlC) The startup Humanner project concept based on more years citizen research and holistic analysis of large collection of best practises for civic system integration. www. linkedin. com/pulse/citizen-social-science-age-alpha-generation-humanner-/ Problem: THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE LACK OF A COL… and > [@Open Government Partnership Steering Group meeting - 13th December 2023](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/open-government-partnership-steering-group-meeting-13th-december-2023/2672): > > Hi everyone, The last [Open Government Steering Group](https://www.gov.scot/groups/open-government-partnership-steering-group/) meeting for the year is due to take place: spiral_calendar Wednesday 13th December alarm_clock 3.30pm to 4.30pm. round_pushpin Online/Microsoft teams This is a reminder to get in touch if you would like to attend as an observer. To receive the online link to join the session, please email me at Neisha.Kirk@gov.scot or you can message me directly on the network. I’ll share the agenda for the meeting next week. Best, Neisha ---
**Author:** ![simonfj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@simonfj](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/u/simonfj)\ **Post date:** [21 March 2024 03:02 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/notes-from-nairobi-workshop-on-workshop-on-governing-new-and-emerging-digital-technologies/2791/3 "2024-03-21T03:02:07Z")
Hey Tim, Niiiiice. Thanks. Definitely with you on the _“where do we go from here?”_ It is funny. I thought that the strength of the OGP project was that one could go through all the **“Member” commitments** over the years and discover the most **common ones** (especially the digital stuff). Similar digital commitments pop up, so regularly, at a different time and place, which you’d expect (thankfully). Be a pretty boring world without the cultural differences. But the drivers of change (like participative instead if representative forms of governance) are identical in all modern democracies. So, in order to understand the differences, I compare OGP member commitments to the local “National roadmaps”, like the UK one you’ve pointed at (thanks). Boy is that a sad one (compared to the one, from the GDS, I read over a decade ago). Did you reflect on the [“About this roadmap”](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/roadmap-for-digital-and-data-2022-to-2025/transforming-for-a-digital-future-2022-to-2025-roadmap-for-digital-and-data#about-the-governments-2022-25-roadmap-for-digital-and-data) section? Particularly paragraph 3 > _The creation of the CDDO has marked a new era of digital transformation in government, a hallmark of which is true collaboration and Permanent Secretary leadership for the Digital agenda_ And paragraph 4. > This roadmap is for central government departments and does not directly apply to local government or the devolved administrations. We can add, _“and does not directly apply to citizens”_. And just to rub it in, inspect the list of [**Top 75 services,**](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/roadmap-for-digital-and-data-2022-to-2025/transforming-for-a-digital-future-2022-to-2025-roadmap-for-digital-and-data#annex-top-75-services) _developed collaboratively by digital leaders across government, including the Permanent Secretary-level Digital and Data Board, focussing on high priority services for citizens and government_. Just as well we have [the right sort of chaps](https://youtu.be/H2itKRPGFiE?si=MSeBAPT8DUmu2iVe&t=54) making these lists of high priority services for citizens.