Kenya is grappling with how to best regulate the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
While platforms like Meta (formerly Facebook) offer immense opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators, concerns about online safety and responsible AI use demand clear policy frameworks.
Meta’s global policy head, Sir Nick Clegg, highlighted the potential of open-source AI tools and their ability to empower local innovators.
Meta’s president of global affairs and a former British deputy prime minister, Clegg, advocates for a nuanced approach to policy—regulating its impact on issues such as online safety and user rights.
“My view is that the Northstar you (Kenya) should keep in mind is not to try to regulate the technology itself but the kind of output or the effects of the technology that you’re trying to either encourage or inhibit.”
He spoke at a thought leadership series organised by the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) in Nairobi to help industry leaders enhance their understanding of global initiatives and priorities among local tech leaders.
Clegg argues that Kenya can learn from established regulations like the EU’s Digital Services Act to craft policies prioritising user safety and holding platforms accountable.
Regulations could require platforms to publish clear content moderation standards, offer transparent avenues for user appeals, and impose penalties for non-compliance.
He agrees that the key lies in striking the right balance.
“We need regulations that promote innovation and user safety simultaneously.”
“Micromanaging the technology itself is a recipe for failure. We need clear rules for content moderation and user protection that don’t stifle the freedom of expression that makes social media valuable.”
On the other hand, Sir Clegg emphasised the importance of open-source AI technology, particularly in developing countries like Kenya, to democratise access and promote innovation.
Clegg believes that open-source foundational models are essential for AI to be useful and realistic for most people worldwide.
He argues that only large companies with deep pockets and access to data centres can currently afford to train these models.
“There’s a complex debate about the differences between what they call proprietary and open-source alien models. But we (Meta) think that where it’s responsible, wherever it’s as safe as you can make it, open source is something we should all continue connecting to.”
Meta announced open access to its latest large language model, Llama 2. This powerful AI tool, freely available for research and commercial purposes, has the potential to revolutionise various fields.
Like the popular ChatGPT chatbot, Llama 2 is an LLM, a type of AI trained on massive datasets. These models are the backbone of generative AI and are capable of creative writing and code generation tasks.
Kenya’s journey towards a robust tech policy framework is being closely watched.
As the nation embraces AI’s potential and fosters its digital ecosystem, ensuring a safe and responsible online environment will be crucial.
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