In 2023, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) had a profound impact on various industries, captivating them with its innovative and creative capabilities.
Emerging in the 1950s, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a game-changing technology in 2023. It has captivated industries with its transformative abilities to create and innovate.
Many governments worldwide are currently focused on implementing regulations for AI, promoting innovation, and enhancing workflows by incorporating this technology into public services.
The US has established a board to provide guidance on the safe and secure utilization of AI.
Some individuals are taking a legislative approach to technology, while others are collaborating with various stakeholders to create policies, guidelines, and frameworks that facilitate the adoption of AI while addressing potential risks.
Pioneering the way in AI regulation, the European Parliament has successfully enacted the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act. This groundbreaking legal framework tackles the potential risks associated with AI and strives to promote the development of reliable and trustworthy AI technologies in Europe and beyond.
The legislation enacted on March 13, 2024 will have a significant impact on ensuring that AI systems uphold fundamental rights, safety, and ethical principles, while also addressing the potential risks associated with highly powerful and influential AI models.
In December 2023, Rwanda made history as the first African country to release an AI strategy. This strategic roadmap aims to empower the East African nation to fully leverage the advantages of AI while also addressing potential risks.
KENYA’S AI READINESS
In Kenya, the Robotics Society of Kenya (RSK) proposed a draft bill to Parliament, proposing the creation of the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society, a professional body that would regulate the use of robotics, AI, and the Internet of Things.
The bill sought to promote responsible and ethical development and usage of robotics and AI technologies in Kenya, and encourage collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
However, is Kenya adequately prepared to leverage AI technologies and address potential risks?
In a recent Government AI readiness index by Oxford Insights, Kenya was ranked 101st out of 193 countries.
African countries including South Africa, Tunisia, Rwanda, Morocco, Senegal, and Benin were found to be ranking higher than Kenya in AI readiness.
In April 2024, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in collaboration with other stakeholders conducted a Readiness Assessment, to determine Kenya’s readiness under Legal and Regulatory, Social and Cultural, Economic, Scientific, Educational, and Technological and Infrastructural dimensions.
The readiness assessment found that there is increasing adoption of AI-powered solutions by the private sector in Kenya, but there is an absence of a standalone AI strategy.
A NATIONAL AI STRATEGY
Through a multi-sectorial approach, Kenya’s Ministry of ICT and the Digital economy, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), is in the process of developing a National AI strategy.
Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, says the strategy will govern the use of AI through a mix of regulations, while ensuring inclusivity and collaboration between sectors.
Thigo, who is a member of President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisors advocates for a strategy that will empower communities and enable sharing of talent, compute and data.
Similarly, other stakeholders call for an agile governance framework, other than hard regulations that can hinder Kenyans from harnessing opportunities from the technology.
With data being the lifeblood of AI systems, the experts emphasize on Kenya having enough data to build its own systems.
The ICT ministry, through its Secretary Mary Kerema calls for a Whole of Government approach to AI governance with proper framewoks in place.
“We need a framework on which we can build strategies on emerging technologies, not AI alone,” she says.
Stakeholders also say there is a need for up skilling, to ensure Kenyans are AI ready.
SECTORIAL APPROACHES
Despite the absence of a nationwide strategy, several sectors, government institutions and private organisations are developing guidelines and codes of practice to harness AI possibilities and mitigate risks.
A case in point is a Code of Practice for AI Applications draft by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), which offers a set of recommendations intended to help the organisation in developing, providing, or using AI systems responsibly in pursuing its mandate.
The code also addresses stakeholder roles and responsibilities. It maps stakeholders such as AI producers, data providers, AI developers, AI application providers and users.
The code also offers a risk management framework through the lifecycle of an AI system.
The Media Sector, through the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has also developed a guide for use of AI in the media and a handbook for reporting on AI. The yet-to-be released guide will steer the industry in adopting responsible use of AI technologies and procurement of systems.
This will be in accordance with the journalism code of conduct as enshrined in the Media Council Act 2013.
Through a whole of government approach, various ministries, private sector players will develop Kenya’s national AI strategy.