Sri Lanka and China have discussed closer cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI), including possible Chinese support for a proposed National Sovereign AI Computing Centre in Sri Lanka.
Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne and Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang met at the Ministry of Digital Economy on 14 October. Weeraratne said Sri Lanka does not yet have the infrastructure for full sovereign AI capability, but has made progress with smaller AI data centres built to protect data security.
Ministry Secretary Varuna Sri Dhanapala said a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on digital cooperation is being prepared after the recent visits of the President and the Prime Minister to China. The Ministry of Finance, the Attorney General’s Department and GovTech are involved.
Ambassador Wei invited Sri Lanka to join the proposed World AI Cooperation Organization and spoke of China’s use of AI in industries such as agriculture.
The talks also covered the use of AI in public bodies, including the Legal Draftsman’s Department and Parliament. The draft MoU is the next step.
