The government is continuing to build capacity for the policy regulatory framework systems sufficient enough to fight off people abusing the computer by faking digital voice, video, and documents under the artificial intelligence [AI] program.
This stems from allegations that some smart people are faking people’s voices, videos, and documents to fleece them or cause embarrassment to their victims, which the government has noted with great interest.
The remarks have been made by the minister of science, technology, and innovation in the office of the president, Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, during an exclusive interview with this website.
The minister revealed that the government recently opened up an AI strategic training studio at Namanve industrial park in Mukono district that can be accessed by students and citizens interested in improving their skills and capabilities in learning about AI.
She warned that the government has built enough capacity to effectively differentiate between fake digital voices, videos, and documents from genuine ones, saying the culprit risks going to jail at short notice.
‘We would like to warn the public that some people are already beginning to fake AI digital voices, videos, and documents with the aim of harming or embarrassing their victims, but the government has put in place modern technological systems that can effectively detect and differentiate between genuine and fake altered AI systems,” she said.
The minister also cautioned that as the country heads towards general elections, such incidents of faking candidates’ voices, videos, and documents are likely to increase but challenged all stakeholders, including security experts, civil society organisations [CSOs], academia, and the media, to expose such culprits and ensure that the public is protected from such malicious propaganda generated via fake AI technology.
‘Even I heard some people attempted to forge my voice to distort issues and cause embarrassment to me, but we fought them off quickly using this new technology, which effectively exposed them,’ lamented the minister.
She revealed how the government is taking proactive steps to regulate the use of AI and a draft policy framework that aims to balance AI’s transformative potential with ethical, societal, and developmental considerations was underway.
Musenero observed that the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to leveraging AI for national progress while safeguarding citizens’ rights and addressing societal concerns.
As AI continues to shape the global landscape, Uganda’s move signals a readiness to harness its benefits while navigating its complexities responsibly.
