Confidentiality, timeliness and innovation are among the principles to be applied when using artificial intelligence in statistical practice – the participants of the discussion titled “The role of responsible AI in official statistics” agreed on this opinion. The Forum is included in the programme of the 64th World Statistics Congress, which is held in Ottawa from July 16 to 20, 2023.
The largest event in this year’s statistical calendar gathered many delegates from around the world in the Canadian city – researchers, academics, business leaders, analysts and politicians, who in the span of four days exchanged views on the development of statistical science and promoting the application of statistics for scientific discovery, innovation and decision-making. The Forum’s official programme included lectures and sessions, workshops and courses, as well as special events for young statisticians and women in data science.
Bulgaria was represented by the National Statistical Institute’s President Assoc. Prof. Atanas Atanasov, PhD. He participated in the discussions dedicated to the implementation of innovative approaches in official statistics. The delegates of the 64th Congress singled out the topic of the role of artificial intelligence as exceptionally relevant. The new technology must be applied, following the principles of justice, innovation, relevance and in the name of public good, is the position of the discussions’ participants. Within the framework of the Forum, the leading experts in the field of statistics also discussed innovative approaches in the representation of data.
Very interesting and important for national societies and their statistical representatives were the topics and discussions, dedicated to the challenges for statistical systems during crisis; data management for a better control and an integrating of the data for the aims for the statistics and making decisions, based on the evidences.
Assoc. Prof. Atanas Atanasov also took part in the session of the General Assembly of the International Statistical Institute, which was held within the forum. The new President of the ISI, Xumin He, Professor of Statistics at the University of Michigan, was elected. The International Statistical Institute (ISI) is the professional association of statisticians, founded in 1885, which guides, supports and promotes the development and best practices of statistics worldwide under the motto: "Statistical Science for a Better World".
The Congress ended with the presentation of the traditional awards to the winners of the International Statistical Poster Competition. The ISI Special Prize was awarded to 102-year-old Prof. К. Р. Rao from India - a legend in world statistics.
The next 65th Congress of the International Statistical Institute will be held from 13 to 17 July 2025 in The Hague, the Netherlands.
