The Western Balkans has an opportunity to harness the development of artificial intelligence, but success depends on infrastructure, knowledge and regional cooperation

This was stated at the panel “Artificial Intelligence (AI): Opportunities, Challenges and Future Perspectives,” held as part of the eighth Western Balkans Digital Summit in Herceg Novi, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration under the auspices of the Government of Montenegro, in partnership with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and within Montenegro’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process. It was recalled that the ITU, as the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, has been involved in telecommunications development for more than 160 years, and that earlier technological waves, such as the spread of the internet and broadband access, also raised questions about changing business models and adapting society. According to him, all countries should be included in global discussions on AI governance, regardless of whether they are already developing their own models or are only creating the conditions for their application. He explained that AI antennas, together with high-performance computing centers and European Digital Innovation Hubs, are tasked with helping small and medium-sized enterprises, public administration and the research community use advanced technologies. Referring to UNDP experience in more than 25 countries where AI readiness assessments have been conducted, he noted that many countries already have strategies and regulatory frameworks, but that institutions often still lack the capacity to implement them in practice. Pál Zarándy, Director and Chief Strategist for Mobile Networks and 5G at Budapest-based 4iG, pointed out that the further development of artificial intelligence will require significant changes in digital and communications infrastructure, as well as appropriate regulatory and legal frameworks.