Regulatory Framework for AI in Ghana very crucial – ICT, Press & Publishing Interest Group of GEA

GEA members from the ICT, and Press & Publishing industry held their interests group meeting on March 5, 2024 at the Association’s Secretariat in North Ridge. At the meeting the group underscored the growing importance of governing and establishing frameworks to address various concerns related to Artificial Intelligence including ethics, privacy, bias, accountability, and security.

In Ghana, as in many other countries, the adoption of AI technologies is expanding across various sectors. However, there is no appropriate regulatory framework to combat the risk of misuse, discrimination, and other negative consequences associated with this emerging technology. The Group acknowledged that the current dynamics in the world of work required a mix of technology and human intervention to ensure proper checks and mitigation of the risks that come with AI adoption. The push for a regulatory framework is therefore a proactive step towards ensuring that AI development and deployment in Ghana align with ethical and legal standards.

Concerning the key business challenges of the interest group, members raised a myriad of issues including:
a) High fluctuations and volatility in the forex space leading to high cost of doing business
b) Lack of tax rebates for companies that employ young graduates
c) High talent and human resource attrition rate in the industry causing skills shortages
d) Absence of regulatory framework for advertisement in Ghana
e) Eccentric ways of revenue mobilization by GRA resulting in the collapse of businesses
f) High incidence of mental health affecting employee wellbeing at the workplace
g) Lack of tax exemptions for importation of raw materials for publishing purposes
h) Unfavorable industry-specific tax regimes threatening business sustainability

The participating companies also called for the identification of best practices for ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations while maximizing data-driven insights. The meeting concluded with high commitment to foster greater collaboration in addressing common challenges, as well as seize emerging opportunities in today’s dynamic digital and evolving business landscape.