In the first instalment of this series, ethics were defined as the ‘dynamic basis upon which the normative evaluation and guidance of AI technologies should be founded.’ Determining the most appropriate ethical framework for AI is a complex task, and it is likely that no single approach can fully address all the challenges involved.
In the African context, the impact of AI (good or bad) will have to be measured and evaluated by African countries themselves. In this instalment, key stakeholders in AI research on the continent are urged to actively participate in this discourse by seriously considering the philosophy of ubuntu as a viable and legitimate ethical framework for AI. As the custodians of ubuntu it is incumbent on Africans to champion its value in the ethics debate and present it as a viable option to the rest of the global community.
I write this piece to both the younger and older versions of myself – and others like me.
The younger who silently thought ‘can anything good ever come from Africa’? And, the older who knows that she has part of that answer insider her. To put it in context – and in defence of younger me - I come from a small town whose biggest claim to fame is its delicious mangos and the excruciatingly hot summers. Almost everything that I knew about the world was informed by the movies I watched and the books that I read. I could not conceptualise African values as being worth more than folk wisdom or fodder for a catchy Brenda Fassie song.
Going to University had a profound impact on me. This was where I encountered Pan-Africanism, both socially and academically. At a campus workshop I attended only to impress my Constitutional Law lecturer, I witnessed a presentation on Ubuntu. It was the first time I had ever heard it spoken about in a meaningful way. The presenter treated these ideas with a level of respect and a deep intellectual vigour that I had never experienced before. It left such an indelible impression on me that over a decade later, I can confidently argue that as we navigate the ethical complexities of AI, ubuntu is the ethical foundation upon which African countries should fashion their strategies.
AI is said to present vast opportunities for development on the continent which has the potential to greatly impact the progress made towards the attainment of some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as the reduction of poverty and hunger; improvement in the quality of education for all; the provision of clean water and sanitation; the production of affordable and clean energy; and the pursuit of peace, justice and strong institutions. Vinuesa et al. argue that AI may act as an enabler for 134 targets (79%) of the SDGs through improvement in the technology even though at least 59 SDG targets may in fact experience a negative impact with the development of AI. Unfortunately, the continent has not built up the capacity to take full advantage of its potential. Nevertheless, as we work towards capacity-building, we need to consider our role in the ethics discussion.
It is imperative that African stakeholders present a coherent ethical framework through which AI can be understood and regulated to lead to the maximum good for the African continent. Africa, like every other continent, faces many socio-political challenges which could be greatly impacted by AI. Therefore, given the potential for AI to be a force for both good and bad, the ethics that govern it should not be narrowly construed through the Western lens alone. In today’s climate of misinformation, disinformation, abuse of power, degradation of the rule of law, election tampering and economic instability, the development and use of new technology should be carefully considered.
While it is evident that the state of AI development in Africa is not the same as observed in the developed world, it is still necessary that even in its infancy, innovators, policymakers, civil society, academics and industry have a responsibility to engage with AI on the continent with as much integrity, authenticity and robust intentionality as possible.
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