Dear madam, Prime Minister,
Dear Vice-President,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Many of us have never coded a single line. Yet with today's AI tools, even I could, hopefully, build a basic app. Now imagine what 450 million Europeans could create with AI as their superpower. If we get it right.
Two years ago, Draghi’s report on European competitiveness gave us an idea how to become more productive, more competitive and more creative. The world has changed since then. The world continues changing as we speak. But, unfortunately, I must admit that so far Europe has only changed its words. We all understand that words will not be enough. We need to increase the sense of urgency for innovation.
The future of work will not be determined by technology alone. The choices we make in policy, education, and industry matter as much. We all acknowledge that we must act immediately. Not in panic a mood but by building a clear vision now.
Latvia has established a National AI Center with three main objectives. First, to transform education for the AI era. Second, to support business through regulatory sandbox. Third, to strengthen society’s resilience against AI misuse that can threaten democracy as well as national security.
Recently, I visited several schools across Latvia. Almost all students I spoke with are already using AI. That was no surprise. What impressed me was how many students understood that AI can make mistakes. They also were critical of their own competencies of AI. We are now building a mindset of how AI should be used responsibly and creatively in everyday learning.
Current education system may still prepare graduates for yesterday’s economy. The real challenge would be to learn to use AI to enhance human skills. To enhance, not replace them. The advantage will belong to people who can combine technology with curiosity, imagination and sound judgement. People who know how to ask better questions – not only how to search for answers. And we must ensure that opportunity is open to everyone, regardless of wealth, age, or ability.
But students are not the only ones who must adapt. All of us should be prepared for more than one career in a lifetime. AI literacy plays a crucial role in this. Continuous learning will become fundamental, not optional.
Ladies and gentlemen
In terms of industry, Latvia has proven its unique role in developing AI for smaller linguistic communities. We are proud to say that our company Tilde is a leader with TildeOpen European language model and very recently, Tilde won a new partnership with the European Space Agency.
Throughout history Latvia has reinvented itself many times. During the last thirty-five years we have changed the way we think, learn and work. We had to transform from a totalitarian society and economy to a democratic one. We had to learn the hard way how to cope with a financial crisis. Now, we are learning how to navigate through many geopolitical storms.
This is the definition of resilience. Today, we have become one of Europe’s most digital societies. It means that even as a small country, we can help lead big change. I am certain that Latvia is ready to be at the forefront of this transformation, where AI will bring higher productivity and better results.
Thank you and wishing you a productive day ahead.
