Model Regulatory Framework on AI & Machine Learning in Southern Africa

How should states approach the regulation of AI to ensure the new technologies strengthen democracy rather than undermine it? Addressing this question, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) drafted an AI policy framework tailored for the states in the region. The document centers on the right to freedom of expression, drawing from Article 9 of the ACHPR, Article 19 of the UDHR, Article 19 of the ICCPR, and the right to privacy as it is enshrined in Article 12 of the UDHR and Article 17 of the ICCPR. MISA structures the framework in five parts, concluding with “Operationalisation of Human Rights and Ethics,” which breaks down several steps for states and companies to undertake for the protection of users’ rights.