Raul Jose Hernandez Guerrero: Information Security Is Essential to Maintaining a Country’s Digital Sovereignty

Today, guests are discussing how digital tools can benefit all countries, not just those leading the technology race.

Raul Jose Hernandez Guerrero, Deputy Minister for Information and Communication Technologies at the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, spoke to an IT Russia correspondent about the challenges of digital sovereignty:

– This is my second forum, and I believe the Global Digital Forum, organized at the initiative of the Russian Federation, is a very important initiative because it brings different countries together to work jointly in such important areas as digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence.

I believe these tools are very important for citizens in all countries because, for example, they can simplify the delivery of government services and help citizens in other important areas of interaction with the government.

One area that all countries need to focus on today is AI. I consider this a fundamental area because automating processes in the civic, social and economic spheres is extremely important. I would also mention the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI. We need to consider the development of tools for data management and regulation because information security is critically important in this area to protect data and maintain a country’s digital sovereignty.

I believe there are three important elements here: international legislation on artificial intelligence, a national law on artificial intelligence, and an ethical code for the use of artificial intelligence. Bringing these three elements together and using them in combination will allow us to develop tools that benefit society rather than harm it.

This is necessary for the development of industries such as healthcare, banking and food production. Only in this way can we develop digital technologies and artificial intelligence in the right direction without causing harm to society.

As for technological relations between our countries, I believe close cooperation between governments is necessary, including through existing mechanisms. These include intergovernmental commissions, sharing the tools we are developing at the national level, and exchanging solutions. It is also important to share experience in developing ways to protect the digital environment from various attacks and threats.

All these mechanisms need to be used to ensure the safe development of digital technologies. That is why close cooperation between governments is absolutely essential.