ARUSHA: ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) should help parliaments make better laws but never take the place of elected legislators, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Dr Tulia Ackson has warned.
Dr Ackson said responsible use of AI will be among the key issues on the agenda of the forthcoming 153rd IPU Assembly, as lawmakers grapple with how to harness the technology while protecting human decision-making.
She stressed that AI should support legislators with information and analysis, but must not replace them in making decisions on behalf of citizens.
Dr Ackson made the remarks yesterday ahead of the assembly, which will be held in Arusha from Monday to Friday.
The gathering will be the first IPU Assembly to be hosted in Tanzania since the organisation was established in 1889.
Dr Tulia said AI was among the emerging issues requiring greater attention from parliamentarians worldwide, noting that while the technology offered significant benefits to society, its misuse could undermine human rights and result in decisions based on inaccurate information.
She said parliamentarians therefore needed to understand how AI works, its potential benefits and risks, and develop appropriate legal frameworks to protect citizens while allowing society to benefit from the technology.
“We want AI laws to help us make better laws, but AI itself should not make our laws for us,” said Dr Tulia.
She explained that AI could produce convincing but false information, which could have serious consequences if relied upon without verification, particularly in sensitive areas such as the administration of justice.
Dr Tulia cited an incident in which an individual used AI to obtain information about a court case but was provided with details of a case that had never existed.
She said the incident demonstrated the risks of relying on AI-generated information without proper verification.
“If such information were used by a court without being verified, the consequences could be serious,” she said.
Dr Tulia said parliamentarians had a responsibility to ensure that the rapid development of AI was accompanied by laws and regulatory systems capable of protecting human rights.
She said some parliaments around the world had already begun developing laws and frameworks governing AI, making international parliamentary forums important platforms for legislators to exchange experiences on measures adopted and challenges encountered.
Tanzania, she added, also needed to deepen its understanding of AI, including how the technology operates and the potential effects of its widespread use, so that appropriate laws could be developed.
She said the objective should not be to restrict beneficial technological innovation, but to ensure that its application remained responsible and served the interests of citizens.
According to Dr Tulia, AI should therefore be treated as a tool to support lawmakers in developing sound policies and legislation, while the constitutional responsibility for making laws remains with elected representatives.
Tanzania eyes global spotlight as it prepares to host IPU assembly
She also said Tanzania’s three-year leadership of the IPU had provided an opportunity to demonstrate Africa’s capacity to lead major international institutions and contribute to issues affecting parliaments globally.
Dr Tulia said Tanzania valued the opportunity because it had demonstrated that African countries could take leadership roles in international organisations and use such positions to introduce changes that benefit citizens.
She noted that Africa, with 54 countries, faced the challenge of differences in positions on some international issues, which could sometimes weaken the continent’s ability to advance its common interests.
Dr Tulia said Tanzania had sought to use its position within the IPU to demonstrate African leadership and ensure that international positions were used to introduce meaningful reforms rather than simply provide opportunities to hold office.
“We are not simply seeking positions; we are seeking positions so that we can do things differently. Through the different things we are doing, we believe those who come after us will look at Africa differently,” she said.
Among the reforms introduced during her tenure, Dr Ackson said, was the decision to limit the term of the IPU President to three years instead of allowing one country to hold the position for an extended period.
She said the arrangement created opportunities for other member countries to contribute to the leadership of the organisation and bring different perspectives and experiences to its work.
“The arrangement gives the IPU an opportunity to benefit from different perspectives and experiences from its member countries, with leadership changing in a way that allows each country to make its contribution,” she said.
Dr Tulia said the experience had demonstrated that African countries could lead major international institutions while using such opportunities to make practical contributions to global parliamentary affairs.