Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
By Peter Nalika
Artificial Intelligence [AI] has left the research laboratories to enter our reality and silently rearrange industries and cosmopolitan societies. Chatbots responding to customer inquiries or diagnostic applications in hospitals are not the dreamy future anymore. Smart AI is already here, mighty, and increasing at a rapid pace. The question governments across the world, and particularly in Africa, are asking is no longer whether AI will change the economies, but how to regulate it.
There are two extreme sides to the argument. While others are in favour of a ban on the development of AI until the risks are completely comprehended. Since they are afraid of prejudice, surveillance, or, at worst, existential threats. The other part of the divide cautions that excessive regulation will kill innovation before it can even provide any good. This binary choice is false. A responsible AI development can be expedited through smart governance, which can increase trust in the population and creativity.
The Importance of AI governance today
The use of AI is not similar to past technologies due to its general-purpose nature. It is applicable in practically all sectors, i.e., agriculture, finance, health, logistics, and education. When not managed, it may increase inequality, loss of privacy, and misinformation. When properly managed, it will be able to drive economic growth, increase productivity, and help address complex development challenges.
Kenya is an example of such a country, with already vibrant AI apps. Smallholder farmers benefit from machine learning that predicts crop yields and detects crop diseases early in the season, helping them increase their harvests. In healthcare, researchers are developing AI-controlled products to detect diseases like cervical cancer in rural clinics. AI chatbots are also enhancing customer service for banks and telecom companies in the private sector. However, these developments raise concerns. The absence of clear regulations makes investors uneasy, citizens worry about data misuse, and innovators wonder what is permissible.
Many governments begin with aspirational phrases, such as stating that AI must be fair, transparent, and accountable. Although these principles are necessary, they do not go far enough. Governments must convert such values into enforceable structures to achieve real improvements. In Africa’s case, effective governance would incorporate various factors, and regulation should follow a risk-based approach since not all AI systems pose equal risks to people.
A chatbot that provides bus schedules poses far less risk than an algorithm used in criminal justice, so regulators must balance oversight accordingly. Regulatory sandboxes then create safe spaces where innovators can test AI products under controlled conditions, fostering innovation without endangering citizens. Governance also requires inclusivity, since governments alone cannot control AI.
The civil society, industry, and academia need to collaborate in coming up with a co-created set of standards, which not only disseminates expertise but also enhances the credibility and trust of the populace. Lastly, governments are also able to set an example in the way they procure goods and services. Being large purchasers of technology, they can establish market-wide requirements by demanding explainability, transparency, and equity of AI systems that they buy. In the event these requirements become a standard in government contracts, the vendors will soon catch up and set the pace of the whole ecosystem.
Africa’s Opportunity
Compared to the past periods of industrial revolutions, when Africa was mostly a spectator, the AI revolution is being experienced within our lifetime, and the continent has an opportunity to define the path. African countries can create models of governance that are more proactive in balancing innovation with protection since they have a young and tech-savvy population and are emerging as dynamic startup ecosystems.
For instance, Kenya may set up a National AI Governance Taskforce, comprising regulators, innovators, ethicists, and consumer groups. This task force might develop standards based on the global best practices and constraints on the local realities, including low digital literacy or limited data infrastructure. Rwanda is already leading by demonstrating the fact that smaller economies can adopt proactive approaches by testing AI ethics frameworks in health-tech trials.
Risks of Inaction
Unless Africa acts, other people will write the rules. The AI Act by the European Union already drives the global markets. Products that fail to meet these standards might find it difficult to find a way into the international markets. Worse still, the lack of local guardrails might be seized by irresponsible deployments – be it biased recruitment algorithms or intrusive surveillance equipment – which will render the population unable to trust technology entirely.
The choice is clear: regulate to accelerate. Smart AI governance does not slow down innovation; it speeds it up by providing clarity, attracting investment, and creating trust. The continent should not import frameworks wholesale but craft context-appropriate rules that unlock AI’s potential while protecting rights.
The Smart AI revolution is here. The question is whether Africa will shape its future with foresight, or watch as others define the terms.
