By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Kenya is examining the
impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, governance and human agency as
policymakers and civil society explore how the country can shape its digital
future while strengthening participation, accountability and information integrity.
Kenya’s Special Envoy on
Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, held discussions with Helena Hofbauer of
the Ford Foundation on the changing relationship between technology, democracy
and human agency.
The engagement focused on
Kenya’s digital and artificial intelligence agenda, open government in the age
of AI, information integrity, civic space and the emerging debate around shared
sovereignty and the role of middle powers.
Thigo said the growing
integration of AI into economies and public institutions requires a broader
measure of technological progress, beyond adoption and efficiency.
He argued that an important
test should be whether AI expands people’s agency, strengthens participation
and accountability, and enables societies to shape their own technological
futures.
The discussion also
considered the role of philanthropy, government and civil society in
strengthening African capacity, evidence and institutions as the continent
enters a new phase of technological development.
Thigo said collaboration
among these sectors would be important in developing the institutional and
knowledge capacity needed to respond to the opportunities and challenges
created by artificial intelligence.
