The Lawyers Hub, in collaboration with the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), officially launched the AI & Democracy Working Group on October 31, 2024. This initiative, under the Africa AI Policy Lab, aims to address AI's role in shaping democratic processes across Africa. The working group serves as a platform for policy experts, AI professionals, lawmakers, parliament members, and civil society to collaboratively address AI's unique challenges and opportunities in African democratic contexts.
Key Highlights:
- Data-Driven Policy and Open Government Data: Emphasized the need for open data legislation to support evidence-based AI development tailored for Africa.
- Empowering Legislators: Strategies to empower parliamentarians with resources and evidence for shaping AI legislation.
- Policy Briefs and Thought Leadership: Contributions on topics like electoral integrity, disinformation, AI in surveillance, and digital inclusion to amplify African voices in global AI discussions.
Ms. Linda Bonyo:
Introduced the Africa AI Policy Lab, highlighting its role in fostering data-driven policymaking in AI across Africa.
Emphasized collaboration among policymakers, economists, and AI experts to ensure contextually relevant legislation.
Outlined the working group’s structure of six monthly meetings aimed at producing tangible outputs like policy briefs and model laws.
Stressed the need to tackle sensitive topics in democracy openly and leverage the partnership with APNIG for developing model laws.
Suggested using AI to enhance democratic processes and address gaps in social media monitoring during elections.
Hon. Neema Lugangira:
Supported the initiative, emphasizing the importance of African leadership in AI development.
Highlighted the critical role of parliamentarians in AI legislation and the need for their involvement.
Discussed the dual perspective on AI's impact on employment and the potential for new job creation.
Raised the importance of legislative frameworks to balance AI innovations and democratic principles.
Mentioned her work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on a resolution addressing AI’s impact on democracy.
Fireside Chat: Linda Bonyo and Stephanie Ifayemi
Ms. Stephanie Ifayemi, Head of Policy at Partnership on AI, shared her experience in AI policy development at international and African levels. She emphasized bridging research with policy and the importance of an "Africa-first" approach. Highlighting her previous role in the UK government, she noted the need for African representation in international standards discussions.
Linda Bonyo and Stephanie Ifayemi discussed the potential for a survey to identify African AI policy priorities, stressing the importance of recognizing unique regional challenges and establishing common frameworks. They introduced the concept of a "governance stack" for AI policy and highlighted opportunities for African engagement in global AI governance forums.
Stephanie noted the emergence of AI Safety Institutes globally and the importance of African nations participating in these frameworks. She emphasized the need for African countries to develop cohesive regional objectives while contributing to international dialogues.
Linda highlighted the lack of visibility for African AI initiatives compared to the West and proposed creating a comprehensive list of individuals working on AI and democracy in Africa. She emphasized establishing a mailing list for broader stakeholder engagement and the need for a comprehensive dataset of AI professionals to facilitate inclusive policymaking.
Outputs:
Policy briefs, commentaries, blog posts, and a white paper.
A comprehensive AI policy framework on AI & Democracy.
A knowledge repository (WIKI) on AI and democracy.
Database of AI Professionals in Africa.
Upcoming Initiatives:
November 28, 2024: Follow-up working group meeting.
December: AI Policy Hackathon to collaboratively design solutions for AI challenges in democracy.
Framework development for a comprehensive AI policy by December.
