The OECD.AI Policy Navigator

The Public Sector AI Observatory promotes the ethical and safe use of AI in Uruguay's government. It provides information on AI projects, shares clear guidelines for public institutions, and creates spaces for collaboration across sectors. The Observatory also monitors progress on national AI and data strategies to ensure responsible development.

The creation of the Artificial Intelligence Observatory was established in Commitment 1.6 of the Fifth National Action Plan for Open Government 2021-2024, undertaken by Agesic and the Unit for Access to Public Information (UAIP).The Observatory is focused on:Promoting and encouraging the ethical, responsible, safe, and reliable use of AI technology.Strengthening the AI ecosystem in Uruguay.Promoting access to information about AI applications in the State.The Observatory was created by integrating contributions from various actors in the public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society, who participated in specific exchange workshops for its design and in dialogue tables as part of the process of reviewing the Artificial Intelligence Strategy and developing the National Data Strategy. The first survey of AI application in the State was conducted from December 2023 to May 2024 through a questionnaire sent to the directors and general managers of organizations, as well as to IT and e-government sector leaders in various branches of the Central Administration, Decentralized Services, Autonomous Entities, and Departmental Governments. It was also sent to some non-state public entities, such as the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) and Ceibal, as well as the Judicial Power and Legislative Power.The survey form consists of 3 sections:Section 1: Introduction, explaining the purpose of the survey and some considerations for reporting initiatives, as well as examples of what is considered AI applications for the purposes of the survey. It specifically asked for cases or initiatives that have identified the problem to be solved and are included in the strategic plan of the responding organization.Section 2: Identification of the organization.Section 3: Identification of the system or initiative to report, including: description, technical development data, information about the team working or who worked on the initiative, decision-making data, and the main challenges encountered.Additionally, a questionnaire was included for cases where the organization does not have AI applications, to identify potential areas or applications of interest that could be developed.This survey was the initial step for the first version of the Observatory, which will be updated periodically with new reported cases.

Agency for the development of the Electronic Government and Society Information and Technology (AGESIC) and Unit for Access to Public Information (UAIP)