The Ethiopian Government Needs to Implement Legal Framework on the Use of Artificial Intelligence for Law Enforcement Purposes

 Asress Adimi Gikay(PhD), Brunel University of London

  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have the potential to enhance human civilization by enabling efficient decision making, enabling safe disaster relief through drone technologies or enabling early diagnosis of illness or even performing surgical operations.  But misuse of AI can also have devastating consequences, where the appropriate legal safeguards are not implemented.

AI Technologies in Ethiopia

Ethiopia's recent use of drones to bomb civilians in Tigray, during the Tigray war and to suppress resistance in the Oromia region is a clear example of the danger posed by AI technologies used irresponsibly. The establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Institute (AII) by the Ethiopian government, with a focus on defense and national security,  raises concerns as the country has currently no regulatory framework providing for legal and responsible use of the technology.   

AI technologies could allow government mass surveillance posing serious risk to privacy rights of citizens, while having chilling effects on exercise of democratic rights including freedom of assembly and expression.  Currently, there is an ongoing legal challenge against Russia before the European Human Rights Court, as the country used Facial Recognition Technology(FR), a sub-field of AI technology that uniquely matches faces of persons with an existing photo on a data base for  mass surveillance of public protests.   

What can go wrong?

While AI technology can be used to enhance human welfare through disaster relief technologies or public safety through crime investigation, or locating vulnerable persons, the technology can also be used to enhance authoritarian ambitions and goals.  The current Ethiopian regime is specially inclined to exercising power in questionable manner by cracking down on journalists, activists, and opposition supporters.

 

There is already an allegation that the government is using AI to conduct surveillance in unregulated manner.

The newly established AI Institute should not be a more tool in the government’s arsenal for suppressing opposition political parties, journalists and citizens through mass surveillance.

What should be done?

Several legal frameworks should be implemented at international and regional levels to ensure access to and the use of certain AI technologies is limited based-on human rights, democracy and rule of law.

 

First, there must be an international legal instrument that regulates access to and the use of war drones. The key criteria must be respect for human rights and humanitarian law as well as accountability for war crimes. Using drones to commit war crimes would normally lead accountability but the current international regime based on voluntarily acceptance of the jurisdiction of the court and countries are reluctant to exercise universal jurisdiction, there must be specific international agreement establishing condition for access to, use and accountability for war drones.

 

Second, regional legal frameworks such as the EU AI Act should ensure that surveillance technologies are not accessed by regimes with low respect for human rights and rule of law.

 

Third, national government should make access to AI technologies a matter of strategic importance and work with technology companies to ensure that AI technologies do not fall in the hands of irresponsible authoritarian regimes.