Observatory on Responsible AI

PAN is collaborating with Research ICT Africa and the IDRC to establish an African Observatory on Responsible AI. The Observatory aims to be an open space of engagement, collaboration and critical inquiry on AI in diverse African societies.

Why an Observatory?

Established in 2022, the African Observatory on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (the African Observatory) has recognised the need to promote African voices, experiences and value systems in global debate around responsible AI. Scholars in the social sciences and humanities are emphasising that an ‘African’ view on AI and AI ethics is critical for ensuring that the development and adoption of these new technologies  supports, and is not harmful to, African societies and ways of living. The African Observatory takes a special focus on the foundational elements of inclusive and responsible AI governance, particularly as it relates to Africa’s (pre/post) colonial memory and in the context of our diverse democratic, constitutional and legal mechanisms of accountability.

Observatory web portal and policy directory

A key part of the Observatory project is the web portal which is currently being developed. The portal will aggregate research outputs from various AI projects on the continent, and will host a policy directory to record AI-relevant policy material from African countries.

Photo by Shalom Mwenesi on Unsplash