Kenya’s IT industry rejects robotics and AI bill

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Stakeholders in the IT industry in Kenya have called on parliament to reject a proposed
artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics bill, warning that it would “spell a national disaster” if implemented.

The bill, titled Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill, 2023, was introduced to parliament in November 2023 via a citizen petition by Fred Ondieki Sagwe, a Robotics Society of Kenya representative.

It established the Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society to oversee the sector, financed by taxpayers’ money and license fees. All players in the industry must obtain a license from the society, failure to which will face a KES1 million ($6,329) fine, a maximum prison sentence of two years, or both.

The bill has faced backlash from the tech industry, who say stakeholders were not consulted in its drafting. Appearing before a parliamentary committee, professionals in the IT sector called on lawmakers to withdraw the bill pending consultations with the industry.

Alex Gakuru, the Director of the Center for Law in Information Technology, says the bill partly addresses the robotics sector’s concerns but does nothing for AI.

“This Bill will spell a national disaster and if implemented as proposed, it will take us years back. There is no policy underpinning this Bill […] it will be a very big blow to the AI sector,” said Gakuru, a law professor at the Kenya School of Law.

Industry lobby group Ai Kenya has also criticized the bill and urged the tech sector to put on a united front against it.

“…together, we can stand as a united front to ensure that this bill does not become a reality. The future of tech innovation in Kenya hinges on our collective efforts,” the organization posted on LinkedIn.

Lawmakers pledged to take the opposition into account. “This is a proposed law and we will undertake stakeholder consultations,” stated MP John Kiarie, who heads the Communication, Information, and Innovation Committee. “We need an overarching law that does not stifle innovation even as we mitigate risks associated with AI and Robotics.”

Kenya has been criticized for pursuing taxes in the tech sector at the expense of regulations. Under the leadership of President William Ruto, the country has imposed several new taxes covering new tech frontiers, including digital assets, but little has been done to oversee the sector and protect the public.

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