One of the key questions is what are the gaps in the laws?

 

For example, if AI is used to make fake images/audio/video and that causes some harm (to an individual’s reputation or something more serious like causing a riot or violence against someone), do we need new laws, or are existing laws able to be used?

 

AI can have very wide impacts – both positive and negative; ultimately one of the key questions is who is “behind” the AI and thus liable for any harm that AI might do. Is it even possible to know who is behind it, or are too many people behind it? The same goes for the sources of data used in AI’s decision makings and liability/ownership etc of that.

 

My point is that in some cases we may need new laws, in other cases existing laws may be sufficient.

 

From: Lawrence Muchilwa via KICTANet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Friday, 16 February 2024 12:15
To: Adam Lane <adam.lane@huawei.com>
Cc: Kenya's premier ICT Policy engagement platform <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>; Lawrence Muchilwa <muchilwal@gmail.com>
Subject: [kictanet] Re: Should we regulate AI in Africa?

 

Great question GG.

 

Do we need to regulate AI NOW ? 

 

I have no strong opinion at the moment.

 

It's claimed that Chinas law around IP helped leaf frog it's manufacturing industry to a point where we have some quality product. Jobs were created and revenue sources increased. However, that also led to a surge in affordable, counterfeit and substandard products that have ended up on Kenya and other African countries. It can be argued that regulations might have reduced the counterfeit increments and streamlined the industry. The same regulations could have also increased the RD timelines that have resulted in incremental increase in quality and standard.

 

I admit it's a gamble.  Do we want to take that gamble with AI given the impact they have in our digital world ? 

 

I think of this regulations from a point of creating the right foundation to ensure we don't play catch up later on when we have rogue AIs and LLMs. 

 

On Fri, Feb 16, 2024, 11:39 AM Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga@hotmail.com> wrote:

Lawrence

Do we need to regulate AI now? What would be the basis? And would regulating not stifle innovation? We need to have an honest conversation before jumping into the regulation debate. 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grace Githaiga

Twitter: @ggithaiga

Skype: gracegithaiga

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracegithaiga

 

...the most important office in a democracy is the citizen. So, you see, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you!----Barrack Obama.

From: Lawrence Muchilwa via KICTANet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: 16 February 2024 10:10 AM
To: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga@hotmail.com>
Cc: Lawrence Muchilwa <muchilwal@gmail.com>
Subject: [kictanet] Re: Should we regulate AI in Africa?

 

Dear Listers, 

 

AI is going to be regulated one way or another. However, regulations are meant to stifle but rather should promote innovation in a safe and scalable way.

 

The challenge I see with a lot of regulations especially the infamous Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill 2023 is they lack the spirit of innovation and democratization of AI. A lot of them are meant to gatekeep, and introduce rigidity and financial benefit to a few individuals. 

 

The question here is how do we go about regulating AI?

 

 

On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 8:06 AM Liz Orembo via KICTANet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

 

This is a great article by Tevin and the team, thanks for sharing.

 

We need to democratize AI innovation if we want to reach that level where the technology addresses our specific African realities, like Mpesa. My starting point would be policies that facilitate the creation data ecosystem that supports data access and use by the smaller players. Some of the oligopolies we have in the market are holding data that they have no interest in and maybe also lack the capacity to use. How can we incentivise them to open up this data?

 

On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 7:33 AM Jennifer Kaberi via KICTANet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

Hi Listers,

I hope you are well. There has been a push to regulate AI in Kenya and Africa. But is this a good move, will it stifle innovation in Africa. Read the paper and let's have a chat about it.

Typed by Thumb👍

 

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with kind regards