The 2023 Robotics and AI Society Bill, intended to regulate the Kenya’s growing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics industry, has encountered strong opposition from industry insiders, sparking significant debate and calls for reconsideration.
The Kenya Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill 2023, if passed, would require all entities operating in these sectors to register with the newly proposed Robotics Society of Kenya (RSK). Failure to comply could result in significant penalties, including fines of up to KES 1 million (approximately USD 6,000), imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
Professionals in Information Technology (IT) and representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) have opposed the proposed legislation, urging Parliament to reject it. Their concerns centre on what they perceive as major flaws in the bill, particularly the lack of engagement with stakeholders from the AI and robotics sectors during its drafting process.
On International Safer Internet Day, prominent IT specialists in Kenya, led by Alex Gakuru, Director of the Center for Law in Information Technology and head of the AMCHAM group, presented their case to the National Assembly’s Communication, Information, and Innovation (CII) committee. According to reports from local publication Business Daily, they highlighted deficiencies in the bill and stressed the need for broader dialogue with industry stakeholders.
Critics, including Gakuru, have argued that the legislation heavily focuses on robotics while neglecting crucial aspects of artificial intelligence. They caution that the bill’s inadequate drafting could lead to legal challenges and have called for its withdrawal to smoothen further consultation with industry experts.
Concerns have also been raised about Kenya’s position in the AI sector, where it currently ranks fifth in Africa. Despite significant investments in AI infrastructure, Kenya lags behind countries like Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, and Morocco, according to the 2022 Government AI Readiness Index and Microsoft’s “Artificial Intelligence in the Middle East and Africa Outlook Report.”
Elizabeth Mutua, a faculty member at the Dedan Kimathi School of Computer Science, noted additional challenges, such as the absence of public data sets for AI development and the lack of a comprehensive legal framework to oversee AI and robotics activities in the country.
AI Kenya, an independent initiative promoting data science and robotics advancement, has also condemned the bill, terming it a potential barrier to innovation within Kenya’s thriving technology ecosystem. This sentiment echoes broader industry concerns that excessive regulation could stifle progress in the sector.
In response to mounting opposition, Dagoreti South Member of Parliament, John Kiarie, chair of the CII committee, has pledged to consider stakeholders’ feedback during the bill’s public consultation phase.
