Government says validating Malawi's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Assessment Report is a significant step towards building a safe and effective AI ecosystem.

Secretary for Education Science and Technology Dr. Ken Ndala, said this on Tuesday in Lilongwe during the validation workshop for the Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), organised by the Ministry with support from UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (UNESCO-ROSA).

Ndala said AI is transforming the way the world conducts business and delivers services, making it essential for Malawi to assess its current status before implementing AI-driven solutions citing that while some people remain uncertain about adopting AI, the technology is already shaping global development and offers opportunities to address many of the country's challenges.

He added that the assessment will help government understand the country's strengths and gaps in areas such as policy, infrastructure and institutional capacity, enabling it to direct resources to priority areas that will support effective AI adoption.

He also said while Malawi is prepared in some areas, more investment is needed in others to ensure the country fully benefits from artificial intelligence.

Head of Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, Dr. Abdul Rahman Lamin, said the report is based on UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which was adopted by all UNESCO member states, including Malawi.

Lamin said although AI has the potential to transform lives and improve service delivery, it also presents challenges related to privacy, human rights and cyber security, he said the assessment is intended to help government determine whether existing institutions, policies and systems are resilient enough to support the responsible use of AI.

He added that the assessment also examines Malawi's investment in science, technology and innovation, the country's digital infrastructure and internet connectivity, as well as the need to develop AI systems that respond to Malawi's cultural and social context.

The one day validation workshop brought together government officials, development partners, academia and other stakeholders to review the findings of the AI Readiness Assessment Report.