Milei's 'Digital Social Twin' project stalls, remains undeveloped

Two months after President Javier Milei announced the 'Digital Social Twin' project with fanfare, promising Argentina would lead "the social future," the initiative has lost momentum. Sources within the Ministry of Human Capital confirm there have been no concrete developments, admitting the project was never fully realized. "There is nothing. It was a project," a high-ranking official from the ministry, led by Sandra Pettovello, acknowledged.

The plan involved using artificial intelligence to create digital replicas of citizens by cross-referencing public databases. The stated goal was to anticipate social scenarios and design policies proactively. However, reporting indicates the presidential announcement occurred while the project's technical aspects were still under evaluation. Since then, there have been no public updates or official decisions regarding its implementation.

Milei's announcement video, released on May 22, proclaimed, "For decades the state has reacted without being able to anticipate. We are entering a new era." This official enthusiasm was quickly met with skepticism. Experts and opposition figures raised concerns about the planned architecture for handling sensitive data, the lack of clarity on privacy safeguards, the use of algorithms to predict social behavior, and the potential involvement of private companies in data processing.

Adding to the scrutiny, Milei met with Peter Thiel, founder of Palantir, a company specializing in big data and AI used by intelligence agencies, the day after the announcement. This meeting intensified questions about the project's scope. In response to criticism, the Ministry of Human Capital issued a statement asserting that the system would use "anonymized data," be developed by public administration teams, and would not involve extensive contracts with private firms. The statement also claimed the methodology was not proprietary to individuals or companies.

However, the president's own announcement video suggested a different direction, stating, "We are calling on the main actors in the world to build the first global model. Argentina brings the world together to innovate in social policy." The administrative structure for the program also remained unclear. While ministry officials described it as a "transversal project" without specifying responsibilities, the announcement video featured two platforms currently operational within the ministry.