The province of Noord-Holland wants to make the algorithms it uses public

Noord-Holland plans to make all algorithms it uses public. This is stated in the data strategy 2021-2023. The province uses artificial intelligence and automated decision-making and will make this accessible in an algorithm register.

The province uses, among other things, algorithms and image recognition software to monitor biodiversity in nature reserves and on banks. In addition, the province is experimenting with artificial intelligence to support the regulation of traffic flows and mobility, and algorithms are used in experiments relating to agriculture, regional economy, infrastructure, management and area contracts and a healthy living environment.

In the data strategy, the province writes that for the time being it is virtually invisible where and how the province uses algorithms and whether this is also used for decision-making. To ensure that residents are not surprised, all algorithms and the choices made by the provinces will soon be made available in an algorithm register. The province will inventory the algorithms in 2021 and 2022. Then the register follows.

The province is also working on an open date register. It must contain all open data sets that the province has and for which that data is used. This data must be made available to residents of the province of Noord-Holland in 2023. The province will appoint a special open data coordinator for this purpose.