Kenya’s Ministry of Defence recently co-hosted an inaugural workshop on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military.
Co-hosts of the two-day event in Nairobi were The Netherlands and the Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea. Delegates and military personnel from 14 countries attended to hear about the opportunities, challenges and risks associated with military applications of AI.
The Nairobi event comes just over a month after the Stellenbosch University Military Academy in South Africa launched a defence artificial intelligence research unit (DAIRU) as a centre of AI excellence.
The workshop, the first of its kind in East Africa, was titled Regional Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in Military (REAIM) with a second set down fot Korea in four months.
Those attending the Nairobi event heard Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Duale prognosticate that AI, in future, will not only strength defence capabilities it will be part of upholding the “principles of justice, peace and human dignity”.
“Kenya is committed to ethical AI practices in military operations to promote security and stability in Africa and globally. I urge you to share your insights and collaborate on solutions that will guide toward responsible and effective use of AI in our military endeavours,” his keynote address read in part.
“Developing a comprehensive regulatory framework that governs the use of AI in military operations is essential,” was part of the message delivered by General Charles Kahariri, Kenya Defence Forces Chief. “Building local capabilities to develop, deploy and regulate AI is crucial. These frameworks should address issues such as data privacy, security and ethical use. Policymakers must work closely with technologies, ethicists and military experts to create policies that balance innovation with responsibility.”
African countries at REAIM were Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda.
Recently, countries are now highlighting the importance of ethical use of artificial intelligence in the military. In a similar event which took place in March, just outside of Washington, D.C., representatives from 42 countries convened to deliberate on the ethical integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in military operations. This assembly, a direct follow-up to the U.S.’s Political Declaration on ethical military AI introduced in The Hague, marks a pivotal moment in the global discourse on AI’s role in defense.
The conference, held at the University of Maryland’s College Park campus, saw over 100 delegates from diverse backgrounds, including military officers and civilian officials, engage in closed-door sessions. The senior State Department official underscored the objective of the summit: to maintain a steadfast focus on responsible AI and to enhance practical capacity among the states.