Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura in MUTARE
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents significant opportunities for economic and societal transformation, but also poses ethical challenges that necessitate careful legal and policy considerations, Permanent Secretary for Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Beaullah Chirume, has said.
Speaking while officially opening a two-day workshop in Mutare aimed at drafting Zimbabwe’s AI policy framework last week, Dr Chirume highlighted the need for the country to keep pace with global advancements in AI to effectively harness its benefits.
She noted the Cabinet’s directive for her ministry to establish a National Artificial Intelligence Policy that will provide a legal framework for promoting ethical and responsible AI use.
“This workshop marks a crucial step in Zimbabwe’s journey to leverage AI’s transformative potential while ensuring that its application aligns with our collective values of ethics, inclusivity, and sustainability,” Dr Chirume said.
She expressed concern that the AI models being adopted may not be suitable for the local context, and urged universities to contribute to the national AI strategy, which will incorporate insights from last week’s workshop facilitated by UNESCO.
Zimbabwe’s participation in the 2021 UNESCO recommendation on AI ethics underscores its commitment to promoting ethical AI development globally.
To mitigate AI risks, the recommendation encourages the development of assessment tools to help countries evaluate their policies and regulatory frameworks.
This approach aims to ensure ethical compliance in both public and private sector AI applications, particularly regarding rights and privacy.
The initiative is structured around five thematic areas: economic, legal, policy and regulatory, social and cultural, scientific and educational, and technical and infrastructure.
These themes will guide the evaluation and development of policy recommendations aligned with national priorities.
