The National Digitization policy of the future Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) was unveiled by the Leader of Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, accompanied by Parliamentarians Eran Wickramaratne and Professor G.L. Peiris, with participation from a group of academics specialising in Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence.

The launch took place at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo on Wednesday, under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition. Wickramaratne, the founding chairman of the ICTA in Sri Lanka, led the team of experts who prepared this policy document aimed at propelling the country into the era of Artificial Intelligence, surpassing traditional Information Technology.

Wickramaratne spoke on the occasion, highlighting the critical importance of digitisation for Sri Lanka as a country, for its government, and for its people. He emphasised that the significance of information technology today cannot be overstated. Despite the global shift towards artificial intelligence, Sri Lanka lags twenty years behind in information technology.

Recognising the necessity of these technologies, the SJB has prioritised the popularisation of digital technology during its term of office, aiming to make significant strides forward, second only to school education. The development of human resources is central to this initiative, leveraging Sri Lanka’s advantageous geographical location and workforce. While literacy was once measured by the ability to write and sign one’s name, Wickramaratne stressed that it is now gauged by digital literacy, making the elevation of all citizens to this level a fundamental priority of the future Sajith Premadasa government.

He further elaborated on how the digital Sri Lanka policy will positively impact the country’s economic development. A digitally literate workforce can contribute to global needs, providing economic and financial benefits to the country, households, and individuals. A conducive environment, including high-speed internet connectivity nationwide, is essential for realising these benefits. Citing Korea as an example, where prioritisation of internet connections and IT led to rapid adoption of technological innovations, Wickramaratne highlighted the importance of private sector participation for the necessary expertise and investment. The Leader of the Opposition firmly believes in the indispensable role of private sector participation in reaping the benefits of IT.

Wickramaratne also addressed the legal challenges posed by technological advancements. As a country, Sri Lanka must prepare the necessary laws to keep pace with technology. With the advent of ChatGPT and other AI innovations, legislation must be enacted to regulate these technologies effectively.

Reflecting on his experience as a banker about twenty years ago, Wickramaratne shared how he, along with Dhusantha Soza, traveled to the USA to discuss with Bill Gates the opening of a Microsoft branch in Sri Lanka. They had plans to attract multinational companies, starting with Samsung. However, due to a change in government in 2004, this opportunity was missed, and Samsung established its project in Vietnam, which subsequently achieved success in IT. Despite these setbacks, they managed to bring IT companies like HSBC to provide BPO services. Unfortunately, over the last 15 to 20 years, there has been little advancement in the use of IT in Sri Lanka.