The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed through second reading a bill seeking to establish an agency that will regulate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigeria.
The consolidated bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Sada Soli, Ademorin A. Kuye, Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka and Akin Rotimi was titled, “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of the National Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Studies Sciences Regulation Commission to ensure Proper Control of Usage of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Technology in Nigeria, Regulate the Development, Deployment, and use of Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria and for Related Matters.
The aim of the establishment of the agency is to regulate the use of the emerging technologies to address the various challenges that may arise, one of the lawmakers said.
The lawmaker, Sada Soli, said Nigeria as a country with vibrant youth population that are technology savvy must set a framework in the usage of the various technologies available and set legal parameters to prevent possible abuse and misuse of the technologies.
Though IT experts said AI regulations are important because they determine how AI will impact society, they added that there are some things Nigerian lawmakers should consider when formulating regulations on AI. These include:
Accountability: Ensuring that an organization or individual is evaluated for their performance or behavior
Transparency: Ensuring that AI is transparent and explainable
Fairness: Ensuring that AI is fair and impartial
Privacy: Ensuring that user privacy is respected and data is not used beyond its intended use
Security: Ensuring that AI is safe and secure
But whether we’re excited about AI, frightened by it, or a little bit of both—we may be wondering how AI will be regulated, and whether regulators will be able to keep up with the rapid pace of technology advancement.
Although there are regulations out there already that cover data privacy, data protection, and intellectual property rights, a technology like AI with its rapid advancement and adoption, should still has it separate regulations, according to Nosa Memudu, an ICT expert.
Pros and cons of regulating AI
Experts say well-regulated artificial intelligence is likely to provide more benefits to more people, but that doesn’t mean that AI regulation has zero drawbacks.
Pros of Regulating AI
Regulations may boost AI system transparency by requiring detailed disclosures about how the technology operates. For example, it’s unclear to what extent generative AI models use copyrighted material or protected data in their training.
Enhances data privacy and protection. Widely regulated AI, regardless of the type of data used, would likely increase users’ control over their data and the data’s security.
Fights bias in algorithms. Another potential positive effect of regulation is that it may reduce or eliminate bias in AI algorithms. Rules about bias prevention and auditing can produce more equitable outcomes.
Challenges
AI technology is evolving rapidly—typically faster than regulatory frameworks can adapt.
The complexity and diversity of AI systems may make it difficult to establish uniform regulations.
The global nature of AI development and deployment creates immense jurisdictional complexity.
AI lacks universally accepted standards for evaluating and certifying the technology.
Despite these challenges, it’s critical to advance the regulation of artificial intelligence. AI used improperly, especially by enterprises and governments, could produce many unwanted effects.
What happens if AI is overregulated?
Overregulating AI has the potential to restrict innovation. Lawmakers should strike the right balance between enabling technological advancement and ensuring public safety, ethical use, and accountability.
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