Context
In 2017, digitalisation and education became the top priorities for the Government of Serbia. Technology, especially artificial intelligence, was identified as the engine that could provide the necessary shift from a labour-intensive economy to one driven by knowledge and innovation. However, for this shift to occur, an enabling and supportive environment is required. The development of modern artificial intelligence relies on computationally demanding processes, which require expensive IT infrastructure to ensure sufficient processing capacities. Thus, the establishment of the National AI Platform was planned in the National AI Strategy 2020–2025. During the formulation of the National AI Strategy in 2019 extensive consultations were conducted with numerous analyses and assessments, as well as public hearings, as required by the law on the planning system. The working group for the strategy formulation comprised members from academia, civil society, science, industry and government. Based on this consultation process, the need for a shared supercomputing infrastructure was identified as one of the prerequisites for further development and application of artificial intelligence in Serbia.
Objectives
To support the development and use of artificial intelligence in Serbia, the IT and e-Government Office installed a state-of-the-art supercomputer with a software platform for artificial intelligence in the Government Data Centre. It was opened up to other government entities and institutions, but also to students, researchers, scientists and start-ups, completely free of charge. By making the supercomputing resources and training in the use of the National AI Platform available to all relevant users, the goal was to unlock the benefits of AI in all areas and for all users, and to make AI technology a common good in the country.
The project’s specific objectives were: 1) to create an enabling and supportive environment and a level playing field for creative and innovative people and organisations regardless of their economic or other status, and to support the development of an ecosystem of excellence in the field of AI in Serbia; 2) to facilitate knowledge transfer across sectors, from science and research to industry, and to create new jobs and new development opportunities for businesses, thus accelerating the transition to a knowledge-based economy; 3) to facilitate the development of smart AI-driven solutions for the benefit of society and economy and wider utilisation of AI and data-driven solutions in our public sector, allowing for greater efficiency, effectiveness, informed decision-making and high-quality public services; and 4) to support the upskilling and transfer of knowledge across borders through collaboration and joint projects.
Implementation
Currently, the National AI Platform is available through 64 locations (13 faculties, 4 science and technology parks, 9 institutes, 2 universities, 32 start-ups, 1 ministry, 1 innovation fund, 1 innovation centre and 1 astronomical observatory), and it serves more than 300 users.
The hardware and software solution was carefully selected based on numerous interviews and needs assessments to ensure that it meets the needs of the AI community and is in line with expert recommendations. The solution chosen was an NVIDIA-based cluster with a graphical user interface that facilitates the use of the supercomputer by making the use of its resources, as well as the management of data and workflows, simpler and easier to use. An essential component of the project was to ensure training, both theoretical and practical, for all users of the National Artificial Intelligence Platform, especially given the diversity of potential users in terms of skills and knowledge. A dedicated team was set up to manage the National Artificial Intelligence Platform in the Office of Information Technologies and e-Government to ensure the smooth operation and technical availability of the platform in all locations. The team also promotes the platform and participates in workshops and other events aimed at promoting the development and application of AI, as well as ethics in AI and strengthening the AI ecosystem in Serbia.