Business
By Anthony Isibor
THE Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, says that fair and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, AI, is crucial in order to guarantee consumer trust and circumvent possible problems.
Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, disclosed this while speaking on “Fair and Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence” which is the theme of this year’s Worlds Consumer Rights Day at the event in Abuja on Friday.
He explained that as the rapid advancement of AI is reshaping industries and transforming the way we live and work and as AI technologies become increasingly integrated into various aspects of the society, 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.
Maida therefore called on AI developers and regulators to ensure AI system algorithms consider ethics and inclusivity.
According to him, responsible AI means using it in an ethical way throughout its development, deployment and usage.
He stated 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, AI is all around us. It’s driving innovation in healthcare, finance, transportation, and countless other fields.
“Conversely, 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?
“This includes considering issues like bias, privacy, transparency, and accountability. According to reports, 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.
“Protecting citizens’ privacy is extremely important when using AI. Organizations should handle personal data responsibly, following strict privacy regulations. Respecting privacy builds trust in AI systems.
“Responsible AI requires mechanisms for holding systems accountable and explaining their decisions. Consumers should understand how AI systems work and have a way to address issues or biases.
The EVC added that since the emergence of 5G services in Nigeria, there has been a steady growth in the development and deployment AI systems and services.
He disclosed that the Commission has been constantly ensuring that the growth is the right direction that guarantees value addition to consumer satisfaction and experience as well as ensuring economic growth.
He however noted that there are still regulatory challenges.
According to him, this is because developing regulations and policies to govern AI deployment can be complex and as well as playing catch up due to technological advancements, however, most legislative and governing bodies are looking to regulate this technology, there has been continuous struggle to strike the right balance between risk mitigation and stifling innovation, while promoting innovation and ensuring security and trust.
He added that AI is a phenomenon that has captured the imagination of scientists, engineers and thinkers for decades and represents the culmination of human innovation and the quest to create machines that can mimic human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities.
He therefore called for Consumer-centric Initiatives
“With the Commission’s special interest and commitment to Consumer Protection, we have proactively put in place consumer-centric initiatives to deal with first level complaints by the telecom consumer. These initiatives include the Consumer Complaints Management, CCM, through which various channels of lodging complaints were created, the NCC Toll-free line 622 available between 8:00am to 8:00pm daily except on Sundays and public holidays, the Do-Not-Disturb, DND, Code 2442, for stopping unsolicited messages, the Consumer Portal-http://consumer.ncc.gov.ng, and the Commission Consumer X account @Consumersncc.
Other initiatives include the Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries, TELCARE, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, an additional platform to enhance awareness of the Commission’s activities, make enquiries on consumer complaints and also for advocacy on any thematic telecom issues or concern.
“Also not to overlook the most recent, the Harmonized Short Codes initiative which enables consumers to use the same codes to access services across all networks. Recall that one major focus area of the strategic roadmap of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s current management is the consumer.“It holds incredible potential to improve our lives, but it also challenges us to think critically about how we harness this power responsibly. Our continuous resolve to Protect, Inform and Educate (PIE Mandate) the telecom consumer is unwavering, particularly as AI technologies continue to advance there is need to foster innovation while safeguarding fundamental rights, values, and dignity of consumers,” he said.
A.I
Tags: Aminu Maida NCC
