Tigran Avinyan Speaks at Economic Forum in Shanghai

• 11.05.2019, 20:40
•  World,  Armenia

Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan today delivered a speech during the panel discussion entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Development: Ideas, Technology and Markets" and held as part of the Second Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, reports the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. In his speech, Avinyan particularly said the following:

"I cordially congratulate everyone on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Over the past decades, China has achieved significant success in the fields of economic development, welfare, science and technologies, and I am certain that it will continue to advance in the future.

The race for innovations and technological advancement leads to the creation of massive knowledge, and artificial intelligence and other turning technologies will increase our capacities and provide the opportunity to focus on creative activity.

Big countries like China and small countries like Armenia have something to offer to the global eco-system, and we need to help make sure each country finds its place. Moreover, each state can’t solely use all the opportunities that artificial intelligence has to offer since the key to success is not only financial and mental capacities, but also networks, the networks of people and ideas scattered across the globe.

Armenia, which forms a part of these global processes, sets an example of a small country that has great human capital and takes advantages of the opportunities in the digital era. Armenia has chosen artificial intelligence and data science to help the country grow. However, Armenia still has a long way to go. To accelerate the process of technological transformation, we need to view the government not only as a government that uses and fosters innovations, but also as a government that creates innovations. This is why Armenia has a Ministry of High Technological Industry, which develops the goal-oriented policy on development of the sector. I must also mention the fact that the innovation policy also requires specific regulations and infrastructures. The first issue is education. Armenia attaches great importance to STEM subjects, evidence of which is the existence of engineering laboratories in most schools and STEM professions at eight universities. The country has established technoparks and an engineering city and is planning to create innovative districts.

On the path to transformation, we view the world with the victory-victory approach, that is, the achievement of country is not the defeat of another. I believe this forum serves as a wonderful opportunity for policymakers, businessmen and leaders in technology to share their experiences and an opportunity to express commitment to use financial, intellectual and social capital to define an innovative and beneficial agenda for development."