AI Connect II Draft Scope of Work Template .docx

AI Connect II Draft Scope of Work Template

Instructions in blue are for the applicant.

A. BACKGROUND

The sophistication and use cases of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are expanding at a rapid rate. Current AI technologies, like generative AI and natural language processing, have a wide range of applications that will touch on many aspects of our security, economy, and society. AI is also becoming an increasingly critical component of ICT networks, where AI-driven analysis of data is used to optimize performance and energy efficiency as well as to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. This project is a follow on to the Promoting American Leadership, Democratic Values, and Economic Prosperity in Artificial Intelligence project (AI Connect I), which helped low and middle-income countries more effectively participate in the global, multi-stakeholder process to develop and employ artificial intelligence tools in a responsible, safe, and trustworthy manner. AI Connect II, as well as being its predecessor, is aligned with U.S. initiatives including the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020, Executive Order 13859 Maintaining American Leadership in AI, and Executive Order 13960 Promoting the Use of Responsible AI in Federal Government. This program is also aligned with the Department of State’s guidance to engage in various bilateral and multilateral discussions to support responsible development, deployment, use, and governance of trustworthy AI technologies, and is supportive of U.S. engagement on AI in multilateral institutions like the OECD and the Global Partnership on AI.

B. STRATEGIC & PROGRAM GOALS & OBJECTIVES

This project should contribute to the following four CDP strategic goals and objectives outlined in the Functional Bureau Strategy, and DCCP pillars two (2) and three (3).

CDP Strategic Goals and Objectives Bureau Goal 1: Advance cyber and digital policies that align with U.S. national interests and foreign policy objectives.

Objective 1.1: Deepen relationships with existing U.S. allies and partners, forge new partnerships, and engage with a range of countries to advance a common vision for the Internet and digital technologies.

Objective 1.2: Leverage key multilateral fora to build relationships, advance U.S. policy priorities, and guard against positions that are counter to U.S. approaches to the Internet and digital technologies.

Objective 1.3: Identify, enhance, cultivate, and develop strategic engagements across the private sector and multistakeholder communities.

Objective 1.5: Implement public messaging and public diplomacy programs to expand key audiences’ understanding and support of U.S. cyber and digital policies.

DCCP Pillars:

Pillar 2: Advance an Open, Interoperable, Reliable, and Secure Internet by promoting inclusive, rights-respecting, multi-stakeholder models of internet governance and pro-competition, pro-innovation digital economy policies and regulations.

Pillar 3: Grow Global Markets for U.S. ICT goods and services, especially high-quality, interoperable, secure ICT equipment, software, and services.

C. PROJECT GOAL

This project should be designed to achieve the following high-level goal:

Insert the high-level goal the project is expected to achieve and will be supported by the objectives.

Applicant completes D through F.

D. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

This project should be designed to achieve the following objectives:

Objective 1: Promote the implementation of AI strategies, policies, legislation, and regulation within low and middle-income countries that are aligned with the OECD AI Principles.

Objective 2: Increase the participation and contribution of underrepresented stakeholders in multilateral bodies focused on AI policy, like the OECD Working Party on AI

E. EXPECTED OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND INDICATORS

The table below details how the project will achieve its objectives through suggested, but not limited to, activities designed to achieve specific results, in accordance with overarching program (CDP and DCCP) strategic goals and objectives. In awarding funds for this project, CDP expects that the activities listed below will be accomplished within the project’s period of performance.

Project Objective 1: Promote the implementation of AI strategies, policies, laws, and regulations within low and middle-income countries that are aligned with the OECD AI Principles.

Expected Outcomes Achievement of project objectives is expected to result in the following outcomes:

· 1.1 (short-term) Participating governments and/or companies agree to further bi-lateral dialogue with the U.S. and/or technical assistance to support the development of responsible AI strategies, policies, and laws.

· 1.2 (short-term) Participating governments identify and/or commit to tangible steps they can take to move their countries closer to adopting or implementing responsible AI strategies, policies, or laws.

· 1.3 (short-term) Non-government participants understand how to meaningfully participate in the development of AI strategies, policies, and laws.

· 1.4 (long-term) Participating governments draft, adopt, and/or implement AI policies and regulations that safeguard against the use of AI products, services, and systems toward repressive or authoritarian purposes.

· 1.5 (long-term) Governments follow a multistakeholder process to developing AI policies and regulations that incorporates timely and meaningful consultation with stakeholders from industry, academia, and civil society.

· 1.6 (long-term) Participating companies follow a risk-based approach reflective of U.S. preferences and incorporate trustworthiness considerations into the design, development, use, and evaluation of AI products, services, and systems.

· 1.7 (long-term) Participant countries incorporate responsible AI themes aligned with the OECD AI Principles into national or sub-national policies, strategies, or regulations.

· 1. 8 (long-term) Cross-sector engagement among stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and civil society is improved within participant countries, and across targeted regions.

· Insert additional project outcomes.

Activities To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project must include the following:

· Convene both in-person and virtual workshops and webinars on artificial intelligence topics to improve information sharing on responsible AI themes, and applications of responsible AI.

· Create a community of practice/network among beneficiaries to continue sharing best practices following the workshops and webinars.

To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project could include the following:

· Organize and execute in-person regional conferences in target regions for multistakeholder participants to build the capacity of the stakeholder ecosystem toward responsible AI policies.

· Organize and execute in-person delegations of program participants to the United States to engage directly with subject matter experts from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions and think tanks, and companies to share best practices on responsible AI policies.

Project Objective 2: Increase the participation and contribution of low- and middle-income countries in multilateral bodies focused on AI policy.

Expected Outcomes Project objectives are expected to result in the following outcomes:

· 2.1 Low and middle-income beneficiary countries adopt policies around emerging technologies, to include A.I., that are aligned with U.S. values and strategic priorities.

· 2.2 Stakeholders from low and middle-income countries have greater representation and engagement at multilateral bodies focused on AI policy.

· 2.3 Stakeholders from low and middle-income countries have greater representation and engagement at global AI academic, policy, and industry conferences.

· 2.4 Low- and middle-income countries influence policy and standards development in multilateral fora.

Activities To achieve the project outcomes, the project must include the following:

· Fund and coordinate the travel of program participants to multilateral, academic, and industry conferences related to the responsible use of AI, AI policy, or AI use cases aligned with the OECD AI Principles and U.S. interests.

· Development and dissemination of engagement strategies to beneficiaries to enhance expected outcomes in policy and standards development.

· Develop alumni networks from present and past beneficiaries to advance strategy implementation.

To achieve the expected project outcomes, the project could include the following:

· Insert additional project activities.

Performance Indicators

· 1.1: Instances of program participants engaging with other participants outside of the AI Connect II activities with regard to the responsible uses of AI. This could include co-authored papers, joint ventures or investments, participation in multi-stakeholder consultations, or public-private partnership.

· 1.2: Number of participant attendees, including their: names; country; sex; affiliation (e.g., government/private/academia).

· 1.3: Number of beneficiary network events and number of current and alumni participants.

· 2.1: Number of multilateral, academic, or industry conferences or events attended by participants from each sector (government, academic, industry, civil society) per country.

· 2.2: Number of public statements from governments or other organizations represented by participants that endorse the OECD AI Principles or other language aligned with the responsible use of trustworthy AI.

· 2.3: Number of conference attendees, including their: names; country; sex; affiliation (e.g., government/private/academia).

· 2.4: Number of network events and number of current and alumni participants.

· 2.5: Numbers of strategies developed and implemented.

· DCCP 2.1 Number of instances of U.S. telecom/ICT policy positions presented in international or regional fora by the U.S. or DCCP partner countries.

· DCCP 2.2 - Number of telecom/ICT governance policies, laws, or regulations drafted, proposed, adopted, improved, or implemented with USG assistance.

· DCCP 2.3 - Number of non-state-owned internet governance institutions strengthened or established with USG assistance.

· DCCP 2.4 - Number of private sector, civil society, or other non-governmental organizations with improved capacity for advocacy or engagement with national legislatures on national telecom/ICT, internet, or digital economy policies.

· Insert additional performance indicators.

F. Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the project beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. Include ways project activities will ensure sustainability.

G. KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Activity: A specific action undertaken over a specific timeframe through which inputs are mobilized to produce specific outputs. An activity can be a sub-component of a program, project, or process.

Goal: The highest-order outcome or end state to which a program, project, process, or policy is intended to contribute.

Monitoring: An ongoing system of gathering information and tracking performance to assess progress against established goals and objectives. Monitoring provides an indication of progress against goals and indicators of performance, reveals whether desired results are occurring, and confirms whether implementation is on track.

Objective: A statement of the condition or state one expects to achieve toward accomplishing a program or project goal.

Outcome: A result or effect that may be contributed to by the program or project, or attributable to the program or project. Outcomes may be short-term or long-term, intended, or unintended, positive, or negative, direct, or indirect.

Performance Indicators: Performance indicators measure a particular characteristic or dimension of a project’s outputs or outcomes. Outputs are directly attributable to the project activities, while outcomes typically represent longer-term results to which a given program contributes but for which it is not solely responsible.

Program: A set of activities or projects that are typically implemented by several parties over an unspecified timeframe and may cut across sectors, themes, and/or geographic areas.

Project: A set of activities intended to achieve a defined product, service, or result within specified resources and implementation schedules. A set of projects makes up the portfolio of a program.