Anne Samson looks at the reasons why ten British/Allied commanders could not defeat the renowned ... more Anne Samson looks at the reasons why ten British/Allied commanders could not defeat the renowned German General, Paul von Lettow Vorbeck in East Africa during World War 1.
Although freedom of religion of individuals and groups is a public good protected under internati... more Although freedom of religion of individuals and groups is a public good protected under international law, the speech in issue does not amount to incitement on religious grounds protected under articles 19 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The speech in question failed to meet the threshold of imminence: It needs to be more specific and directed at an official office and a government rather than the actual leader. It is a form of political speech and not "fighting words". In virtue of their position in public life, public officials are necessarily exposed to commentary about them by members of the public, whether or not such content may offend them. In this case, Facebook made a culturally relative decision, which is likely to encourage religious bigotry, as was the case in the Charlie Hebdo case.
This research note explores the need for further research into increasing accounts of the unregul... more This research note explores the need for further research into increasing accounts of the unregulated acquisition, use, and control of personal data by foreign states in collaboration with certain African states. Limited local research on the acquisition of large-scale digital data by African authoritarian governments, with the backing of certain foreign actors, has meant that African civil society has insufficiently confronted the human rights implications. Yet these practices are not new and are a continuation of authoritarian influence into the digital era. Aligned with various data privacy violations, including the collection and processing of data, is the interrelated and increasingly widespread use of data-capturing technologies: technologies that intentionally or inadvertently capture and record data. While
The African Journal of Information and Communication, 2015
The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is proliferating on the African conti... more The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is proliferating on the African continent, but policy responses are still at their early stages. This article provides an overview of the main elements of AI deployment in Africa, AI's core benefits and challenges in African settings, and AI's core policy dimensions for the continent. It is argued that for AI to build, rather than undermine, socio-economic inclusion in African settings, policymakers need to be cognisant of the following key dimensions: gender equity, cultural and linguistic diversity, and labour market shifts.
Historically, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been excluded from the benefits of the previous indust... more Historically, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been excluded from the benefits of the previous industrial revolutions, as its people and their resources and aspirations have been objectified through foreign domination, and its culture has either been fragmented or appropriated. While artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to generate vast amounts of wealth, its application could lead to further social and economic exclusion of SSA due to a lack of access to technological advancements and the historical injustice and exclusion based on protected characteristics. Through an examination of the concept of inclusion, this paper explores how to improve the terms on which African populations and subpopulations and their concerns are included in the global AI ethics discourses. Specifically, it is argued that the SSA value of Ubuntu could be of immense value in AI applied normative ethics, particularly toward an inclusive approach for the implementation of the universal AI ethics principles and guidelines.
Individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds are increasingly engaging in research and develop... more Individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds are increasingly engaging in research and development in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The main activities, although still nascent, are coalescing around three core activities: innovation, policy, and capacity building. Within agriculture, which is the focus of this paper, AI is working with converging technologies, particularly data optimization, to add value along the entire agricultural value chain, including procurement, farm automation, and market access. Our key takeaway is that, despite the promising opportunities for development, there are actual and potential challenges that African countries need to consider in deciding whether to scale up or down the application of AI in agriculture. Input from African innovators, policymakers, and academics is essential to ensure that AI solutions are aligned with African needs and priorities. This paper proposes questions that can be used to form a road map to inform research and development in this area. THE BIGGER PICTURE Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of computer science devoted to developing systems that can be taught or can learn to make decisions and predictions within specific contexts. This paper discusses the way AI applications may profoundly affect African countries, both positively and negatively. The impact on each country will depend on a number of factors, in particular, how each country is ready the emergence of AI, and this includes the level of preparedness in other technologies, such as the availability of Internet, and powerful computers connected to Cloud and data. Among several sectors where AI could potentially benefit Africa is agriculture, as most Africans are not just employed in this sector but the sector best reflects African cultural values and customs, such as the collective and communal approach to life and work. The benefits AI could bring to African countries include the automation of farms, which can reduce labor costs, or detecting diseases on crops early enough before they spread. However, as with other technologies, AI is also likely to marginalize the poor and disadvantaged, who will not be able to take advantage of rapid technological advancement and innovation designed for a world more modern than the one they live in. As an example, the widespread automation of farms may destroy African ways of life, including the environment and ecosystems, and at the same time the profits AI generates may go to the large corporations that own the technology. If those invested in the research and development of AI on the continent continue blindly forward, we should expect to see increased inequality alongside economic disruption, social unrest, and, in some cases, political instability, with the technologically disadvantaged and underrepresented faring the worst. They need to ask questions-and relevant ones-before coming up with a road map for the responsible research and development of AI in African countries. This is exactly what this paper does. It provides context and asks key provocative questions for consideration. Concept: Basic principles of a new data science output observed and reported ll
Historical Antecedents and Paradoxes That Shaped Kenya's Contemporary Information and Communication Technology Policies
IntroductionThe Global Entrepreneur Summit, which took place in Nairobi in July 2015, marked a gl... more IntroductionThe Global Entrepreneur Summit, which took place in Nairobi in July 2015, marked a global watershed recognition of Kenya's quantum leaps in the ICTs sector and its impact on rapid economic growth. The impressive facts and statistics reveal Kenya as one of the few successful examples of technological adoption in Africa's transitional markets, beyond Silicon Valley's well-developed, technology-based entrepreneurial ecosystems. Out of a population of 44 million, there are 29.6 million Internet users in Kenya, representing a 69 percent penetration rate, while mobile penetration stands at 84 percent. According to the July 2015 sector updates by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the amount of international Internet bandwidth available in the country grew to 1.6 Gbps. The used bandwidth increased by 57 percent to 783,761 mbps. The mobile phone and 3G modems continue to dominate in provision of connectivity.The growth of ICT access in Kenya has been attribu...
Use and Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Climate Change Adaptation in Africa
Although Climate Change is a global phenomenon, the impact in Africa is anticipated to be greater... more Although Climate Change is a global phenomenon, the impact in Africa is anticipated to be greater than in many other parts of the world. This expectation is supported by many factors, including the relatively low shock tolerance of many African countries and the relatively high percentage of African workers engaged in the agricultural sector. High-income countries are increasingly turning their focus to climate change adaptation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a critical tool in those efforts. Algorithms using AI are making better predictions on the short- and long-term effects of climate change, including predictions related to weather patterns, floods and droughts, and human migration patterns. It is not clear, however, that Africa is (or will be) maximally benefitting from those AI tools, particularly since they are largely developed by highly developed countries using data sets that are specific to those same countries. It is therefore important to characterize the efforts ...
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Papers by Arthur Gwagwa