Đurić: Responsibility as a prerequisite for technological progress

In his remarks, Minister Đurić emphasized that we live in an era of revolutionary technological change, comparing the impact of modern technologies to the transformation once brought about by Gutenberg’s printing press. He underlined that these changes bring both new opportunities and challenges for societies worldwide.

Serbia, he noted, is striving to respond to these challenges through educational reforms and investment in digital skills. He explained that the subject “Digital World” has been introduced in elementary schools, programming has become mandatory from the fifth grade, and the number of students pursuing technological sciences and artificial intelligence is steadily increasing.

Minister Đurić highlighted that Serbia’s IT sector has already surpassed agriculture in its share of GDP, and that the United States represents Serbia’s most important partner in the field of services, with major technology companies such as NCR, Microsoft, Google, and others operating in the Serbian market.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stressed that Serbia seeks not to limit development, but rather to create a supportive environment for innovation. He pointed out that Serbia is not a member of the European Union and is therefore not obliged to implement strict EU regulations, which represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

He also recalled that Serbia has hosted important international gatherings on artificial intelligence, such as the OECD conference where the Belgrade Declaration was adopted. He underscored Serbia’s commitment to an inclusive global dialogue in which all states have a voice.

Minister Đurić further announced the introduction of an artificial intelligence–based consular assistant, aimed at simplifying administrative procedures for citizens.

With regard to Serbia’s foreign policy position, he underlined the country’s balanced relations with both East and West, reflected through numerous free trade agreements with the European Union, the Eurasian bloc, China, and Middle Eastern countries. At the same time, he stressed Serbia’s strategic cooperation with the United States, particularly in the field of energy.

Minister Đurić cautioned that it is of key importance to strike the right balance between technological advancement and the preservation of social values. He concluded by noting that humanity must embrace the new reality and manage technological development responsibly, because, as he emphasized, the genie has already been let out of the bottle and there is no turning back.