The Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has announced that the National Assembly is actively working on legislation to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage, particularly to address issues like identity theft.
He made this statement during the 7th Convocation Ceremony, a collaborative effort between the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies and the University of Benin, held in Abuja.
Tajudeen Abbas underscored the importance of establishing a regulatory framework for emerging technologies in Nigeria. While recognizing the significant advantages of new technologies such as AI and robotics, he emphasized the necessity of preventing their misuse and abuse.
AI, according to Abbas, offers numerous benefits, including advancements in healthcare, safer transportation, cleaner environments, enhanced manufacturing processes, and more sustainable energy solutions. Additionally, he highlighted how integrating AI into education could revolutionize teaching and learning methods.
The Speaker elaborated on the potential transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence on education, citing its capacity to customize learning experiences, improve educational tools, and enhance administrative systems.
However, he also acknowledged the unique challenges posed by AI, particularly in terms of data sets and algorithms that may reflect or reinforce biases related to gender, race, or ideology.
Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence could contribute to job displacement and the deepening of societal inequalities by automating routine tasks.
Abbas also pointed out the rising concerns surrounding identity theft and fraud, which are facilitated by AI, as evidenced by the creation of highly convincing deep fake content.
These maliciously crafted videos, photos, and audio files are designed to misinform, deceive, and incite confusion, leading to social unrest, fraudulent activities, and damage to individual and brand reputations.
In response to these pressing issues, the 10th House of Representatives is committed to engaging with stakeholders and experts to address the opportunities and threats posed by AI. The legislative body aims to ensure privacy, accountability, ethics, security, and intellectual property in the use of AI.
Additionally, the Speaker disclosed his plans to introduce a bill aimed at regulating Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria, which, if enacted, would mark a significant milestone as one of the first legislative efforts of its kind in Africa and one of the few globally.
