By Mavis Paintsil, Accra
Former UN envoy Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas has warned that Artificial Intelligence could erode democratic values in Africa if governments fail to put ethical leadership and governance ahead of speed.
Speaking at a forum on technology and governance, Dr. Chambas said Africa’s focus should shift from simply adopting AI to actively shaping how it is regulated.
“The Institutions That Govern AI Determine Its Impact”
According to Dr. Chambas, the technology itself is neutral. The risk lies in who controls it and under what rules.
“Technology itself is neither ethical nor unethical. The institutions that govern it determine its impact,” he said.
He cautioned that without oversight and accountability, AI tools can be used to threaten civil liberties, press freedom and public trust. Surveillance systems, in particular, could weaken democracy “without strong governance frameworks”.
His comments come as Ghana pushes ahead with its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin recently made a similar call, saying “it is not enough to be technologically advanced. We must also be morally grounded”.
Africa Must Be At The Rule-Making Table
Dr. Chambas argued that Africa risks being left behind if it remains a passive consumer of AI systems designed elsewhere.
“The real question is whether we will help shape the rules governing its use,” he said.
“If the rules governing AI continue to be written without African voices, African contexts, and African values, AI systems will continue to perform well for the world that designed them and poorly for the world left out of the room.”
He described ethical AI not as “charity” or “reputation management” but as “competence” and possibly “Africa’s most valuable strategic advantage” in the AI era.
Ghana’s Push For Responsible AI
Ghana is already moving to set guardrails. The government has launched its National AI Strategy, which includes plans for GhanaChat, a sovereign large language model to process government data locally, and AI innovation hubs across all 16 regions.
Legal backing already exists through the Data Protection Act, 2012 and Cybersecurity Act, 2020.
Experts say frameworks like these will be critical as AI is rolled out in elections, public services, health and education sectors where bias, misinformation and lack of transparency could have serious consequences.
Leadership Test
For Dr. Chambas, the AI moment is ultimately a test of leadership.
“Ethical leadership requires leaders willing to challenge assumptions, question incentives, and consider the long-term consequences of today’s decisions.”
In his view: AI offers promise. But without ethical leadership, it threatens democracy.
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