Africa must shape AI standards to reflect its values, culture – Sam George

Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has called for a distinctly African approach to the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI), arguing that African values, data, computing infrastructure and human capacity must be better represented in the global AI ecosystem.

Speaking at the ongoing UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Minister said Ghana’s experience with UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) had helped the country identify its strengths and weaknesses as it implements its 10-year National AI Strategy.

He said the assessment had provided a foundation for an implementation framework to build on existing strengths while addressing critical gaps.

Mr George said discussions on AI ethics should go beyond technical considerations and examine the values embedded in the systems being developed.

Because ethics are shaped by values, he argued, it is important to ask whose values are reflected in AI models being developed and deployed around the world.

He expressed concern that some systems may fail to recognise African cultural practices because they have not been adequately trained on African datasets.

As an example, he said an AI model could classify a Western woman wearing a bikini differently from an African woman taking part in a traditional cultural rite, potentially labelling the latter as nudity.

The Minister said such outcomes demonstrate the risks of developing AI systems without sufficient representation of African data, cultures and traditions.

He called on UNESCO to take a leading role in ensuring that African values and perspectives are reflected in global AI ethical standards.

Drawing a parallel with social media governance, Mr George also questioned whether global community standards adequately reflect African cultural values. He said Africa needed a stronger voice in shaping the standards governing emerging technologies.

The Minister called for greater investment in computing infrastructure and human capacity across Africa.

He said Ghana was committing US$250 million over the next two years to develop AI computing infrastructure, adding that the investment was not intended to serve Ghana alone.

Ghana, he said, could become a regional computing hub offering high-performance computing resources to neighbouring countries, universities, researchers and technology start-ups.

“We’re not building for Ghana. Ghana is just 35 million people. We’re building that infrastructure with a mindset of Africa as a continent,” he said.

Mr George urged African countries to avoid each independently establishing expensive computing infrastructure, which could place additional pressure on the continent’s already constrained power systems.

Instead, he advocated regional hubs capable of serving several countries. Under such an arrangement, countries including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and The Gambia could access computing infrastructure hosted in Ghana while contributing to and benefiting from the wider ecosystem.

He said regional infrastructure could give African researchers and start-ups access to more affordable computing resources located on the continent, reducing their reliance on infrastructure hosted outside Africa.

On human capital development, Mr George said Ghana was investing in the skills needed to operate and govern emerging technologies.

He cited the government’s One Million Coders Programme, which aims to train one million Ghanaians in future-oriented digital skills.

The programme, he said, extends beyond coding to include areas such as artificial intelligence, data security and cybersecurity.

He said the government was working with the Ministry of Education to extend the programme into secondary schools and had already partnered with universities across the country.

According to the Minister, AI-related courses are being integrated into university programmes, with students at 20 major universities required to complete designated AI courses as a prerequisite for graduation.

“If you don’t do it, you don’t graduate from the university,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to building a pool of AI-skilled professionals.

Mr George also disclosed that, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ghana had trained all Chief Directors in AI skills. The training is now being extended to directors and assistant directors across the civil service.

He said public officials responsible for supervising AI deployment must have the knowledge and skills required to regulate and manage the technology effectively.

Mr George called for an African consensus on AI governance, infrastructure and the continent’s engagement with major global technology companies.

He said Ghana’s anticipated leadership roles within the African Union could provide an opportunity to advance a collective continental position on AI and digital technologies.

Ghana is expected to assume the AU chairmanship in February 2027, while Mr George is expected to chair the AU Specialised Technical Committee on ICT and Communications.

He said the platforms could help build consensus on Africa’s priorities and strengthen the continent’s negotiating position with major technology companies.

While individual African countries may struggle to influence companies such as NVIDIA and Huawei, he argued, a unified position through the African Union could give the continent greater leverage.

“Ghana alone cannot bring Nvidia or Huawei to the table to meet our position. But when we take a collective position as Africa, then we can have a voice at the table through the African Union,” he said.

The Minister thanked UNESCO for providing a platform for countries to discuss the ethical, technical and developmental dimensions of artificial intelligence.

He said Ghana remained committed to working with UNESCO, the African Union and other international partners to ensure AI development serves Africa’s interests while contributing to inclusive and sustainable development.