Emmanuel Ukudolo I Monday, March 18, 2024
MAITAMA, Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has called for the deployment of new regulations with ethical considerations to ensure that Artificial Intelligence, AI benefits society without compromising fundamental rights and values.
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida made the call while celebrating World Consumer Rights Day with the theme “Fair and Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Consumer”.
According to him, integration of AI technologies into various aspects of society has engendered a complex web of legal and regulatory challenges.
“Navigating this uncharted territory requires a careful examination of existing laws, the development of new regulations, and ethical considerations to ensure that AI benefits society without compromising fundamental rights and values”, he said.
Maida described Artificial Intelligence as a phenomenon that has captured the imagination of scientists, engineers, and thinkers for decades.
“It represents the culmination of human innovation and the quest to create machines that can mimic human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities”, he said, adding that AI has already made significant inroads into our lives. “From voice assistants that respond to our commands to recommendation algorithms that suggest what we should watch, read, or buy… It’s driving innovation in healthcare, finance, transportation, and countless other fields”, and cautioned that with inordinate power comes great obligation.
“As we celebrate the advancements in AI, we must also grapple with ethical questions. How do we ensure that AI systems are fair and unbiased? How do we protect privacy in an age of data-driven AI? These are complex issues that require careful consideration”.
Alluding to the theme of the day, “Fair and Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Consumer” Maida was of the view that using AI responsibly is crucial in order to guarantee consumer trust and circumvent possible problems.
“Responsible AI means using it in an ethical way throughout its development, deployment, and usage. This includes considering issues like bias, privacy, transparency, and accountability”, he said.
Alluding to reports, Maida said responsible AI aims to empower consumers, build trust, and minimize negative effects.
“To this effect AI Developers need to be transparent about the data, algorithms, and models used in AI systems. This ensures that decisions made by AI can be explained and mistakes can be fixed to ensure everyone is treated fairly, regardless of their background. This helps prevent biased decisions or discrimination thereby promoting inclusivity and equality”.
Earlier in his speech, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Mr. Clem Omife alluded to famous statement made by John Wanamaker, the one-time American Postmaster General and Advertising Expert which he said further amplified the importance of the Consumer in his famous phrase “Customer is King”, stressing that at the NCC, Telecom consumers are Kings because they provide the major drive and essence of its activities.
He said the commission is in the final process of deploying the Automated Consumer Complaints Management system, which will further expand the complaints channels and improve complaints resolutions even at First level with Service Providers
Omife said the consumers will continue to occupy a special position in the commission’s activities since there will be no telecommunication industry without the consumer.
