{"id":53697,"date":"2025-04-03T15:29:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T15:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/kagame-cautions-of-ai-s-dangers-in-politics-calls-for-unity-to-harness-its\/"},"modified":"2025-04-04T19:26:43","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:26:43","slug":"kagame-cautions-of-ai-s-dangers-in-politics-calls-for-unity-to-harness-its","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/kagame-cautions-of-ai-s-dangers-in-politics-calls-for-unity-to-harness-its\/","title":{"rendered":"Kagame cautions of AI\u2019s dangers in politics, calls for unity to harness its benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Speaking at the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali on Thursday, April 3, Kagame underscored the transformative potential of AI but warned that its unchecked involvement in political processes could lead to unintended consequences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCertainly, it would be a dangerous place if we involved artificial intelligence too much in our politics. We may have something good come out of it, but I think we might also experience terrible things happening to us,\u201d Kagame said.<\/p>\n<p>He stressed the need for Africa to actively participate in AI development rather than remain on the sidelines, playing catch-up to global technological advancements. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"656\" height=\"369\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OsqUF2ldK0o\" title=\"Don\u2019t let AI control our politics, Kagame tells delegates at Global AI Summit on Africa\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Kagame noted that AI is currently dominated by a few countries, a situation he believes Africa must address by promoting cooperation, investment in digital infrastructure, and workforce development.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is driving some of the most groundbreaking innovations of our time and accelerating the pace of digital transformation across industries,\u201d he stated. \u201cHowever, it&#8217;s unfortunate that the rise of this new technology is being overshadowed by geopolitical competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To ensure Africa is not left behind, Kagame outlined three key areas of focus: enhancing digital infrastructure, strengthening the continent\u2019s skilled workforce, and expediting regional integration. <\/p>\n<p>He highlighted Rwanda\u2019s investment in centers of excellence to equip young people with AI-related skills, emphasizing that Africa\u2019s growing workforce presents a unique opportunity for innovation.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Kagame called for harmonization of AI governance frameworks across Africa, warning that regulatory fragmentation is stifling entrepreneurship and technological growth. <\/p>\n<p>He urged policymakers to work together to address concerns over privacy and security while leveraging AI to reduce inequality and promote shared prosperity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTechnology is supposed to be a force for good, and we have a responsibility to use it accordingly,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n<p>Togo\u2019s President Faure Gnassingb\u00e9 also weighed in on the discourse, emphasising the need for Africa to safeguard its strategic assets in the AI era. He highlighted the continent\u2019s wealth of resources, including a youthful population, rich genomic and cultural data, and critical rare minerals essential for AI development.<\/p>\n<p>Gnassingb\u00e9 warned that these assets would become highly sought after by external entities, underscoring the importance of ethical governance and inclusion. He urged African nations to take proactive steps in structuring, valuing, and protecting their data to prevent exploitation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe temptation for external entities to exploit these resources without ethics and inclusion will be immense,\u201d he said, calling for a concerted effort to ensure Africa maximises the benefits of its unique advantages in the global AI landscape.<\/p>\n<p>The two-day summit brings together African and global leaders, tech experts, and policymakers to discuss AI\u2019s role in shaping the continent\u2019s future.<\/p>\n<p>Other high-ranking leaders who graced the opening ceremony included Mahamat Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), and Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-84770 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6c9a9261-enhanced-nr-2-3b175.jpg\" alt=\"Speaking at the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali on Thursday, April 3, President Paul Kagame underscored the transformative potential of AI but warned that its unchecked involvement in political processes could lead to unintended consequences.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-84774 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6c9a9260-enhanced-nr-d388c.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-84773 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6c9a8648-2-45fff.jpg\" alt=\"The two-day summit brings together African and global leaders, tech experts, and policymakers to discuss AI\u2019s role in shaping the continent\u2019s future.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-84771 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6c9a8268-6c065.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-84772 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/6c9a8846-2-3ecc0.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Paul Kagame has cautioned against the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in politics, urging African nations to work together to harness its benefits while mitigating risks. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000084769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-53697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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