BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 27. A panel
discussion titled "Intercultural digital future: intercultural
digital competence for societies entering the era of digitalization
and artificial intelligence" was held as part of the 7th World
Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku on Tuesday, Trend's correspondent
reports from the event.


The discussion covered topics such as the development of
artificial intelligence (AI), the impact of digital transformation
on societies, the preservation of cultural diversity, the
elimination of digital inequalities, and the ethical application of
technologies.


Speaking during the discussion, Deputy Minister of Digital
Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, Rashad Hasanov, said that
Azerbaijani-language AI models are being developed for use in the
provision of public services within the country.


He noted that global technology companies might not be
interested in developing AI models in the Azerbaijani language for
a market of 10 million people. Consequently, the country is
developing these capabilities using its own resources.


"This has become a matter of sovereignty for us," the deputy
minister emphasized.


Hasanov noted that speech-to-text conversion and the first
agent-based services have been introduced on the ‘my.gov’ platform,
a unified interface for citizen-state interaction. Plans are in
place to expand the range of these services by the end of the
year.


The deputy minister also highlighted the importance of enhancing
digital literacy, stating that under the "Digital Horizons"
program, training is planned for over 25,000 civil servants from
275 different institutions.







UNESCO Chair on Intercultural Competence at Stellenbosch
University, Darla Deardorff, noted that intercultural competence in
a digital environment extends beyond mere technical knowledge or
the ability to communicate in various languages. According to her,
mutual understanding, empathy, respect for diverse perspectives,
and a human-centric approach should form the foundation of digital
communication.


Charlotte Cotrois, founder and president of the intercultural
learning organization "Constellations," emphasized the importance
of considering the needs of all population groups when digitizing
public services. Citing Azerbaijan’s ASAN Khidmet model as a
successful example, she noted that mobile services, in particular,
facilitate access to public services in remote settlements.


Commercial Director at the Azerbaijan National AI Center, Ulfan
Aliyev, discussed the role of artificial intelligence in improving
access to legal information. He pointed out that AI systems applied
in the legal field must be trained in the Azerbaijani language and
based on local data sources, as even a simple translation of legal
texts could alter their meaning.


Chief of the Management of Social Transformations at UNESCO,
Irakli Khodeli, remarked that the responsibility for the ethical
use of AI should not rest solely with the users. According to him,
researchers, engineers, government agencies, and regulatory bodies
should also bear responsibility during the development and
implementation of digital technologies.


The panel also highlighted the importance of combating racism,
discrimination, stereotypes, and biases within the digital
environment. It was emphasized that principles such as inclusivity,
cultural diversity, and the prevention of discrimination must be
taken into account from the very stage of developing AI
systems.


At the conclusion of the discussion, the importance of carrying
out digital transformation based on a human-centered approach,
ensuring that technologies are accessible to all members of
society, and strengthening international cooperation in this regard
was noted.