Re: AI, StratML, SDGs, Dashboards & Collaboration

Before we all get too excited about using the SDGs as a whole, let me point out that as a whole they are seriously flawed and sometimes even inconsistent as to indicators to be used.
It is my intention to address this issue and find some suitable specific goals or combination of goals which allow for consistency.
I am working on this and believe me it is not easy. Suffice it to say that the final SDGs agreed upon in 2015 are the result of compromise, censure and omission and watering down numeric goals. Not really evidence based or evidence informed policy making.
The UNSTATS Expert WG on Indicators has a hard time making sense out of this mess.

Milton Ponson
GSM: +297 747 8280
PO Box 1154, Oranjestad
Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
Project Paradigm: Bringing the ICT tools for sustainable development to all stakeholders worldwide through collaborative research on applied mathematics, advanced modeling, software and standards development 

    On Monday, February 10, 2020, 1:09:00 PM AST, Owen Ambur <owen.ambur@verizon.net> wrote:  
 
  
According to Wikipedia, intelligence involves perceiving the environment and acting to maximize the chance of achieving goals.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence  The article also cites Tesler's Theorem: "AI is whatever hasn't been done yet."  See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_effect 
 
 
While it may be possible for intelligent agents to decipher goals from unstructured text, it seems likely they might be able to more effectively help us achieve our goals if we make them explicit in terms of near-term objectives and performance indicators.  Since that has not yet been done on a worldwide scale, why should it not begin with us?
 
There are more than 4,000 plans in the StratML collection that can be used for demonstration purposes, including the SDGs: https://stratml.us/drybridge/index.htm#UNSDG 
 
 
As far as I am aware, however, progress against the SDGs is not being reported in an open, standard, machine-readable format.  See, for example, the HTML, CSV & PDF at  https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/  The presentation of the data is actually pretty good.  See, for example, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/goal-17/  
 
 
The problem is that few people know about and take the time to view it, much less to do anything about it.  While making the data available in open, standard, machine-readable format would not solve that problem, it would make it easier for value-added intermediaries to engage stakeholders in ways that are more accessible and meaningful to them, e.g., in their own personal and organizational/corporate performance plans.  From my perspective, failing to do so is an example of artificial ignorance.  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/artificial-ignorance-owen-ambur/
 
Here's an article addressing the role of AI in achieving the SDGs:  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-14108-y  It is relatively long and unstructured and I haven't taken the time to read all of it.  However, here some key point:
 
 
We therefore recommend that AI applications that target SDGs are open and explicit about guiding ethical principles, also by indicating explicitly how they align with the existing guidelines.
 
 
See StratML tool, app, and service requirements Objective 8.3: Values Alignment & Goal 9: Values Validation.  Those requirements are prime candidates for the application of AI.
 
 
 
On the other hand, the lack of interpretability of AI, which is currently one of the challenges of AI research, adds an additional complication to the enforcement of such regulatory actions ...
 
 
AI developers and agents should be expected, if not required, to document their objectives and performance indicators in an open, standard format that is both human- and machine-readable.
 
 
 
... associations such as the Future of Life Institute are reviewing and collecting policy actions and shared principles around the world to monitor progress towards sustainable-development-friendly AI ...
 
 
Perhaps we should schedule a televideo conference for them to brief us on their AI activities and explore prospects for collaboration.  https://stratml.us/carmel/iso/FLIwStyle.xml 
 
 
 
A global and science-driven debate to develop shared principles and legislation among nations and cultures is necessary to shape a future in which AI positively contributes to the achievement of all the SDGs.
 
 
 
Whenever I see calls for legislation and regulation, I view it both as a cop out as well as an attempt to dictate to others that which we should take upon ourselves to do, in partnership with those who share our values and objectives.  Perhaps those who view it as the best way forward should either study the China model ... or just stand idly by and wait for them to impose it on all of us.  For an alternative model, see https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/privately-well-practiced-public-policymaking-owen-ambur/
 
Here's a shorter article on AI & the SDGs: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/blog/2019/Using_AI_to_help_achieve_Sustainable_Development_Goals.html  It suggests, "To improve data accessibility, for example, collectors and generators of data, whether governments or companies, will need to grant greater access to NGOs and others seeking to use the data for public service."  However, it shows no awareness of the importance of open, machine-readable data standards -- perhaps because usage of such standards would reduce the need for consultants ... or, rather, it would require them to add higher-level values than massaging amorphous, aimless data.
 
 
With respect to dashboards, see https://gcn.com/articles/2017/09/12/yet-another-dashboard.aspx & https://gcn.com/articles/2017/05/10/machine-readable-data.aspx 
 
 
I look forward to learning what we might be able to do together along these lines.
 
 
Owen
 
 

 
 On 2/8/2020 7:55 PM, Paola Di Maio wrote:
  
 
 
  xml constitutes a structure for language, and certain kinds of AI can be built using structured language expressions 
  PDM  
  On Sun, Feb 9, 2020 at 1:34 AM ProjectParadigm-ICT-Program <metadataportals@yahoo.com> wrote:
  
    Can AI be used on StratML utilizing ontologies to create customizable dashboards for project management and collaboration for large networks of collaborating people from different fields of work?
  
  Question is of importance in eGovernment, eGovernance and achieving sustainable development goals.
  
  Milton Ponson
 GSM: +297 747 8280
 PO Box 1154, Oranjestad
 Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
 Project Paradigm: Bringing the ICT tools for sustainable development to all stakeholders worldwide through collaborative research on applied mathematics, advanced modeling, software and standards development