- Zambia's Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati, has announced that the process of establishing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework is underway.
- The Minister mentioned that the Zambian government is currently formulating an AI Strategy in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute, an organisation that prides itself on providing advice on strategy, policy, and delivery to governments and leaders.
- Additionally, he said the country is working with the European Union (EU) to develop a Startup Bill.
Highlighting the significance of an enabling framework for the deployment of AI, the Minister said the government is actively revising the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, a key player in facilitating the deployment of AI.
The Minister, who published the announcement via an X post, disclosed this at the Future of AI in Africa Conference launch in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, in May 2024, at the Copperbelt Agricultural Mining Industrial Networking Enterprise (CAMINEX) event in Kitwe, he shared that the government has completed drafting the AI strategy harnessing the benefits of the latest technologies.
At the time, Mutati announced that the AI strategy would be launched in the following two months — July 2024.
Additionally, ICT practitioners in the nation will soon have new guidelines to regulate their activities. In early June, the Technology and Science Minister announced plans to issue a Statutory Instrument (SI) to oversee the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. He stated that this initiative aims to curb misconduct and irregularities among professionals, ensuring they adhere to ethical standards and best practices.
Zambia isn't the only African nation delving into AI and working on a framework for it. In April 2024, Nigeria enlisted 120 experts to develop a co-created framework to promote AI adoption in the country. The initial draft of the National AI Strategy also secured $3.5 million in seed funding from potential partners.
Similarly, South Africa is considering AI regulation and plans to establish an AI Expert Advisory Council. This council will guide on creating and implementing AI-related policies and regulations.
