By Patience Longwe
Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Jessie Kabwila has reaffirmed government’s commitment to developing ethical and inclusive artificial intelligence (AI).
Kabwila was speaking during a ministerial dialogue on Wednesday at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Bangkok, Thailand.
She, however, commended UNESCO and the Thai Government for convening a platform that unites global leaders and AI experts to tackle the ethical challenges of disruptive and emerging technologies.
Kabwila also acknowledged that Malawi has not yet passed a dedicated Al law but noted that the country is making progress through its nearly completed Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) report in line with UNESCO’s guidelines.
“Recent legal developments including the Data Protection Act (2024), National Digitisation Policy (2023-2028) and other key laws that provide a strong foundation for responsible AI use,” she disclosed.
Kabwila, therefore, pointed out that the country’s endorsement of the Windhoek Statement and the AU Declaration on AI as well as its efforts to ratify the Malabo Convention as a testament to the fact that Malawi is also participating in broader continental initiatives.
She stressed the importance of ensuring that AI systems reflect Malawi’s diverse cultural landscape, which includes various ethnic groups such as the Chewa, Yao, Tumbuka, Lomwe and Ngoni.
“Despite limited research funding-only 0.176% of GDP – Malawi is seeing growing interest in AI, stating that Universities have begun integrating AI into their curricula and institutions like the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and STEAM Education (CAIST) and Kuyesera AI Lab (KAI) are taking the lead.
“While in the private sector, startups like Nxtgen Lab and mHub are innovating with support from local funding programmes and development grants,” she added.
Kabwila, therefore, raised concerns about digital access and affordability, noting that only 27.7% of the population is online with just 4.2% of household own a computer and that mobile data cost remain high.
She called for more coordinated investment in infrastructure especially in cyber security, energy and affordable technology to support AI development and access across the country.
The minister also emphasised on the critical role of education, particularly digital and AI literacy, in building an ethical AI eco-system with Malawi’s literacy rate at 62%, calling for empowering students and researchers to responsible innovation.
She, therefore, reaffirmed Malawi’s commitment to an inclusive and well-regulated AI future, noting that stronger investment and better inter-agency coordination were key to achieving full AI readiness.
