By Blair Institute Pushes for a Digital ID-linked National Data Library
by Tim Hinchcliffe | The Sociable
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change calls for a digital ID-linked National Data Library for the entire U.K. in order to feed AI systems for government services.
Two weeks after former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke with Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison on the same topic at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, UAE, Blair’s institute has published a lengthy blueprint for the creation and execution of a National Data Library.
According to the report, “Governing in the Age of AI: Building Britain’s National Data Library:”
The National Data Library (NDL) has the potential to become a vital piece of enabling infrastructure for public-service delivery and economic growth in the United Kingdom.
It is intended to unlock the full potential of public-sector data by enabling secure, seamless, quick and scalable access to linked data sets.
None of this would be possible without efforts to improve the broader data infrastructure, including efforts around interoperability and digital identity.
The U.K. National Data Library is envisioned to house all of Britain’s data, including that related to:
- Health
- Energy
- Households
- Pensions
- Agriculture
- Education
- Labor
- Taxation
- Justice
- And so much more
The idea is to create a unified, interoperable library that links data on basically everyone and everything that exists in the U.K.
None of this will be possible without installing a digital identity scheme for all individuals:
The U.K. should introduce a unique personal identifier to support accurate and efficient data linkage across public services […] A universal personal identifier, integrated with the GOV.UK Wallet app and associated credentials, will be necessary to deliver personalized services at scale.
