Ranil discusses AI-Driven Partnership, combatting hate speech with META

President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta, in New York on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

During their discussions, President Wickremesinghe highlighted the government’s new initiatives to combat online hate speech and the spread of fake news.

He emphasized that the proposed bill would allow concerned parties to challenge specific aspects through the Supreme Court and further revisions could be considered during the Parliamentary Committee review.

The President was briefed on Meta’s advancements in Artificial Intelligence, with a particular emphasis on open-source technologies.

Both parties explored potential collaborations between the Sri Lankan Government and Meta in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

One of the proposals discussed was the development of a collaborative program between Meta and Sri Lankan universities aimed at advancing AI technology.

President Wickremesinghe emphasized his two primary areas of focus: fostering the growth of the AI sector in the country, especially in the realm of education and utilizing AI to support data-driven initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.

Nick Clegg, in full Sir Nicholas Peter William Clegg, is British politician and corporate executive who served as leader of the Liberal Democrats (2007–15), deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom (2010–15), and vice president of global affairs and communications at Facebook (2018–22). 

Since February 2022, he has served as president of global affairs for Meta Platforms (Facebook’s renamed parent company, reflecting its emphasis on the metaverse).