Government, business and academia urged to shape Fiji’s AI future

Government, the private sector and academia are being urged to work together on a five-year plan for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Permanent Secretary for Policing and Communications Berenado Daveta has called for a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, saying Fiji must treat AI and cyber security as interconnected national priorities.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Tech Summit 2026 at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Natadola, Mr Daveta proposed establishing a national steering committee involving Government, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders to develop a five-year strategy and implementation plan.

He said Fiji needed to move beyond treating AI and cyber security as separate technological initiatives and instead approach them as national strategic capabilities.

“If I had to prioritise one shift over the next 12 months, it would be to move beyond AI and cyber security as separate technological initiatives, and begin approaching them as interconnected national strategic capabilities,” Mr Daveta said.

He stressed that the private sector must play a leading role in shaping the country’s digital development, rather than simply being presented with plans developed by Government.

“When I took over this position, I talked to our staff, telling them the private sector needs to be more involved with us in all our plans, and all national plans,” he said.

“They must probably take 80 per cent of the whole process. We shouldn't be sitting in the office, putting our own ideas together and taking them to them.

“If we take it to them, consult them and let them be a big part of this plan, that's going to be great.”

Mr Daveta said industry involvement was important because businesses would ultimately employ people, shape the workforce and provide the technical expertise needed to support national development.

“It's our people that need to be served at the end of the day,” he said.

He said Fiji needed to build its own AI capabilities to support economic, social and technological development, rather than rely solely on existing systems.

“I don't believe in just using the existing systems. The country needs AI to drive these developments, economically, socially and technologically,” he said.

Mr Daveta proposed establishing a steering committee and working team to bring together relevant stakeholders and develop a national AI strategy, supported by a practical implementation plan.

He suggested the initiative could begin this year, with a roadmap covering the next five years.

“I am proposing that we set up a national AI strategy. Perhaps I'm putting out the invitation. Perhaps have a steering committee for it, have a working committee, a working team, that will involve Government, private sector, academia and all other stakeholders,” he said.

He also called for the work to be aligned with cyber security planning, legislation, digital public infrastructure and the Government’s service transformation programme.

Mr Daveta said cyber security needed to remain a key consideration as Fiji developed its AI capabilities, particularly to establish the necessary trust and protective measures.

He also urged Government to listen to businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, about the support they needed to benefit from AI.

“It is very important that we hear from the private sector what would be needed from them to support the whole economic part of things, especially for small and medium businesses,” he said.

Mr Daveta said having the right framework would allow businesses to use AI as an advantage rather than expose themselves to unnecessary risks.

“If you get that framework right, you can start to use AI as an advantage as opposed to an exposure, and accelerate that business growth against other countries,” he said.

He welcomed growing public interest in cyber security awareness activities, saying strong attendance at previous events showed people were increasingly recognising its importance.

Mr Daveta said the next step was to turn that interest into practical action through stronger collaboration and a coordinated national approach.

“We need not start with a separate agency. Just probably start with an AI hub. Start with whatever we have, and move it from there,” he said.

He said the ultimate goal was to have a national AI strategy and implementation plan to guide Fiji’s development over the next five years.