Sam George Calls for African Voice in Global AI Standards
The Communication Minister says Africa must play a stronger role in shaping global AI standards to reflect the continent’s values, cultures and interests.
- Africa must shape AI standards
- Ghana investing $250m in AI infrastructure
- Sam George calls for African AI consensus
Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has called for a stronger African role in shaping global Artificial Intelligence (AI) standards to ensure the continent’s values, cultures and interests are adequately represented.
Speaking at the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he said AI discussions must go beyond technical issues to consider the values embedded in AI systems.
Mr George said some AI models may fail to properly understand African cultures and traditions because they have not been adequately trained on African datasets.
He cited examples of AI systems potentially misinterpreting traditional African cultural practices due to a lack of diverse data and cultural context.
The Minister therefore urged UNESCO to play a leading role in ensuring African perspectives are reflected in global AI ethical standards.
He also called for greater investment in computing infrastructure and human capacity, saying Ghana is committing US$250 million over the next two years to develop AI computing infrastructure.
According to him, the investment is intended to position Ghana as a regional computing hub that can serve researchers, universities, startups and other African countries.
Mr George further highlighted Ghana’s One Million Coders programme, which aims to equip citizens with digital skills, including artificial intelligence, data security and cybersecurity.
He called for an African consensus on AI governance and technology, arguing that a united continental position through the African Union would give Africa greater influence in negotiations with major global technology companies.
