By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Sept. 29, GNA – Mr. Isaac Obed Saah, a Data Analyst and AI Africa Trainer in Prompt Engineering, has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionise parliamentary debates by transforming them from mere rhetoric to data-driven decision-making.
Mr. Saah, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, explained that AI could empower African parliaments to enhance their governance systems by leveraging technology to process vast amounts of data, predict policy outcomes, and foster inclusivity in decision-making.
According to him, parliamentary discussions have traditionally relied on personal experiences, political ideologies, and rhetoric, adding however that, as governance evolves globally, there is an increasing demand for more informed and data-backed decision-making processes, especially in Africa, where socio-economic challenges intersect with political complexities.
He pointed out that AI technologies, such as natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), and predictive analytics, have already demonstrated their capacity to analyse large datasets and generate insights.
These tools, he added, could significantly reduce the administrative burden on parliamentarians and enhance the efficiency of legislative processes, stressing that, “AI can streamline public services, improve decision-making, and increase transparency in parliamentary processes.”
Citing the World Economic Forum’s “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for the Earth” report, he noted that AI holds the potential to optimise decision-making processes in parliaments, especially in Africa, where administrative capacity may be limited.
He explained that AI could help parliamentarians address pressing challenges like poverty, climate change, and inequality, leading to more effective legislative outcomes.
Mr. Saah, who is also a researcher, emphasised how AI could complement the governance principles of figures like Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Paul Kagame, highlighting how Nelson Mandela’s consensus-building approach could be enhanced by AI to analyse diverse perspectives and predict potential outcomes of policies to foster reconciliation and common ground.
“Mandela’s vision of inclusive governance can be realised through AI’s ability to democratise access to information, ensuring all voices are heard in parliamentary debates,” he remarked.
He further explained that AI could serve as a critical tool in advancing Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan-African vision, as the technology enables data-driven policy-making that could accelerate development across the continent.
“Predictive analytics can forecast the long-term impacts of policies on education, healthcare, and infrastructure, ensuring sustainable development in line with Nkrumah’s ideals,” he said.
He added that AI could play a crucial role in tracking legislation, monitoring policy implementation, and holding parliamentarians accountable for their decisions through AI-powered dashboards, which could provide real-time updates on parliamentary activities, allowing citizens to monitor the performance of their representatives, thereby fostering transparency.
On efficient governance, efficiency could be further advanced through AI, which has the potential to automate routine tasks in parliament, such as drafting bills and managing schedules, thus allowing parliamentarians to focus on substantive policy discussions.
He identified data analysis, policy simulation, and sentiment analysis as critical AI functions that can improve the quality of debates, explaining that AI tools can help legislators access more accurate and timely information, enabling them to engage in productive discussions and make informed decisions.
“AI-driven text analysis can identify recurring themes in parliamentary debates, allowing legislators to focus on critical issues and avoid repetition. Furthermore, AI simulations of policy outcomes can help parliamentarians understand the long-term implications of their decisions, ensuring that policies align with national development goals.”
Mr. Saah also highlighted the potential for AI to enhance public engagement by providing real-time feedback on public sentiment regarding proposed legislation by analysing data from social media, news outlets, and surveys, ensuring that parliamentary debates reflect the will of the people.
Mr. Saah said despite its numerous advantages, African parliaments should consider ethical challenges associated with AI, such as algorithmic bias, data privacy concerns, and the potential for AI manipulation.
He stressed the need for African nations to develop ethical AI frameworks that ensure AI technologies serve the public good, warning against the risks of external manipulation.
GNA