Afrika Techno Policy

In a major development for global artificial intelligence (AI) governance, the UN-based Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) has prepared a Zero Draft Resolution on the terms of reference for establishing an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and a Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance. After a round of consultation, the draft will be handed over to the UN General Assembly to action a motion. Independent International Scientific Panel on AI The Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence will provide multidisciplinary, evidence-based scientific assessments of AI’s opportunities, risks, capabilities, and impacts. The panel will consist of: An Expert Committee of 20 members appointed by the UN Secretary-General. An Advisory Committee of 40 members elected by the General Assembly. Both committees will feature experts serving in their personal capacity, with appointments lasting three years (renewa...

As AI sweeps through the private sector, some government agencies wish to eagerly follow suit, deploying chatbots to handle everything from constituent services to policy deliberation. This enthusiasm, while understandable, must be tempered with caution. Despite the proliferation of these AI systems in public administration, there is a critical shortage of both summative and formative evidence regarding their impacts. One of the key questions of our age is how might evolving information technology affect the quality of democracy. Today, that question remains largely unanswered as we rush headlong into AI adoption primarily driven by promises of cost reduction and convenience. But what if cost and convenience, rather than aiding democracy, undermines it instead. There are good reasons to believe that this may be the case. Consider New York City's small business chatbot , which notoriously offered advice on how to circumvent local regulations. Far from an isolated incident, suc...

The quiet revolution in AI isn't just changing how we work and live. It's about to transform how wealth moves around the globe - and not necessarily for the better. As AI systems become autonomous, they threaten to supercharge tax avoidance strategies in ways that could devastate public finances worldwide. Consider a future where AI systems don't just identify tax loopholes, but actively exploit them in real-time, moving capital across jurisdictions faster than regulators can respond. This is the emerging reality of what technologists call "agentic AI" - systems capable of making independent financial decisions without direct human oversight. The implications are acute. Tax havens have traditionally relied on human financial experts laboriously analyzing regulations to find advantageous arrangements. These new AI systems can perform the same analysis continuously across multiple jurisdictions, identifying opportunities for tax arbitrage with unprecedented speed an...

In his  farewell Presidential Address in 1961, outgoing US President Dwight Eisenhower then warned about the dangers of the military-industrial complex . He acknowledged the necessity of collaboration between the US government, the military, and industry for national development. But he cautioned that the alliance was vulnerable to abuse. Eisenhower further expressed his concern that the military-industrial complex could gain undue influence, ultimately surpassing the traditional powers of the State. Eisenhower’s warning has proven prescient. Over time, the military-industrial complex has evolved into a powerful force that, driven by profit motives, plays a significant role in perpetuating global conflicts and wars. Today, in this digital age, Eisenhower’s speech resonates once again , but with a modern twist — ushering in the rise of what I term the “digital industrial complex.” As we witness the increasing convergence of technology, industry, and government, especially in Afr...