A Review of the Draft Strategy for the Responsible Use of AI in Tanzania

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was at the heart of discussions at the African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF). Participants debated whether or not to regulate AI during the #AfIGF sessions titled “Harnessing AI for Africa’s Development and Prosperity” and “The Rise of AI Sprinters.” Two schools of thought emerged: one advocating for innovation to lead with minimal regulation, and the other emphasising the need to address the risks and harms already taking place across Africa.

Currently, there is no comprehensive nationwide framework guiding a coordinated approach to AI use in Tanzania. However, several policies touch on the subject, including the National ICT Policy and the Tanzania Digital Economy Strategic Framework (TzDESF).

In line with this, the Government of Tanzania is developing a guiding framework for AI. Like its neighbours, Kenya and Rwanda, Tanzania is opting for a strategy rather than a policy. The Strategy for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Tanzania is currently in its draft stage under the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (MICT).

Unlike Kenya, which has taken a more enabling approach by striving to balance innovation and regulation, Tanzania’s proposed framework leans slightly toward a protectionist stance, though it still includes enabling provisions. The strategy recognises that AI applications in sectors such as education and healthcare can significantly boost economic growth. The main goal is for the government to create an environment that allows both public and private sector actors to responsibly develop and utilise AI for the country’s socio-economic advancement.

The draft strategy highlights key AI concerns, including bias in decision-making, data privacy and security, legal liability, transparency, and explainability. These have informed the development of ten strategic areas: Digital Government, Digital Business and Commerce for Economic Development, Human Capital Development, Digital Inclusivity, Financial Services, Partnership and Collaboration, Research, Development, and Innovation, Education, Tourism, and Land and Real Estate.

The supporting strategic enablers are: Legal and Regulatory Framework, Digital Infrastructure, Data, Enabling Technologies, and AI Standards.

Digital Government

The Tanzanian government aims to establish an AI-powered public sector that utilises artificial intelligence to boost internal efficiency and lower operational costs. The goal is two-fold: to improve the quality and speed of services offered to citizens and businesses, and to strengthen decision-making across government using AI.

To achieve this, the government plans to roll out a National Digital Skills Strategy for workforce training, establish a technical committee to set AI standards, pilot AI use cases across ministries, and build capacity in AI procurement. It will also strengthen data-sharing infrastructure, develop data governance guidelines aligned with data protection laws and promote innovation through public sector AI hackathons and annual readiness assessments.

Digital Business & Commerce for Economic Development 

The objective of AI in digital business and commerce is to build an AI-driven economy that enables more informed decision-making. The strategy focuses on integrating AI across enterprises of all sizes, including both public and private sectors.

Key actions include supporting AI adoption across various sectors and linking AI-enabled services to existing digital platforms, such as company registration, cargo clearance, licensing, and e-passports.

The government plans to maintain a database tracking AI adoption and workforce changes, identify emerging AI needs and monitor innovations addressing economic development challenges.

Human Capital Development

The government aims to enhance Tanzania’s workforce with the necessary awareness and skills in AI, thereby driving innovation and sustainable socio-economic development. One way is by launching AI education initiatives across all levels of education, with a focus on digital literacy and an understanding of artificial intelligence.

Further, the strategy recommends the development of certification programs for AI skills, promoting continuous learning and upskilling in the workforce, and collaborating to benefit from global knowledge, expertise, and best practices in AI.

Digital Inclusivity  

The Tanzanian government aims to promote inclusivity and diversity in the development, management, and use of AI and related ICT services. This involves ensuring that AI systems reflect a wide range of human perspectives and attributes.

To support this goal, the government plans to implement a National Digital Skills Strategy to train and retrain the public workforce, establish a technical committee to set AI standards and review public sector AI solutions and conduct capacity-building workshops for procurement entities. It will also develop data governance and sharing guidelines aligned with the Personal Data Protection Act, and organise AI and data hackathons, prizes, and challenges to encourage inclusive innovation in the public sector.

Financial Services

The Tanzanian government aims to leverage AI to safeguard the integrity of the financial system and maintain price stability, thereby fostering inclusive economic growth. To achieve this, it plans to develop regulatory data standards and a centralised system for collecting returns from financial institutions, including banks, e-money issuers, and pension schemes. Additionally, it will deploy AI tools, such as chatbots, to enhance customer service efficiency and introduce regulations to ensure the responsible use of AI while protecting consumers.

Partnership & Collaboration 

The objective is to enhance collaboration within the AI ecosystem to drive sustainable socioeconomic development. To achieve this, the government plans to develop a communication strategy to support AI partnerships, integrate AI into the Digital Transformation Working Group agenda, and establish centres of excellence to strengthen the AI ecosystem. It also aims to provide incentives for AI startups and attract multinational firms to set up physical offices and research and development (R&D) labs in the country.

AI in Research, Development & Innovation

The strategic objective in this area is to promote commercialisation and innovation to strengthen Tanzania’s national AI research, development, and innovation capacity. Key actions include creating special grant programs, promoting the establishment of AI Centres of Excellence within research institutions, and setting up a policy sandbox to facilitate data use and sharing. The government also aims to foster cross-border and local partnerships to mobilise research funding, support frameworks for attracting and retaining AI research talent, and launch startup support programs focused on public sector AI applications.

AI in Education 

Under this theme, the goal is to create an AI-enabled teaching and learning environment that fosters innovation and equips both formal and informal learners with the skills needed to succeed in the digital age. This will be achieved by developing a National AI in Education Strategy, integrating AI-powered tools into the curriculum, establishing adaptive learning systems driven by AI, collaborating with technology companies and research institutions, and implementing AI-based assessment tools.

AI in Tourism

To harness AI for improving efficiency and competitiveness in Tanzania’s tourism sector, the government plans to develop a National AI in Tourism Strategy. This includes implementing AI-powered recommendation systems, utilising AI-based predictive analytics and integrating AI into wildlife conservation efforts.

AI in Land & Real Estate 

To modernise Tanzania’s land and real estate sector through AI, the government will establish a National Digital Skills Strategy to train and reskill industry players, identify accredited institutions for property management and AI training, strengthen the Land Use Department to adopt advanced technologies, and create a data bank to support land and property management datasets.

For the strategic enablers, the legal and regulatory environment will be restructured to establish guidelines and policies that ensure the responsible use of artificial intelligence while fostering collaboration between government, industry, academia, and communities. The government will conduct a comprehensive review of existing regional AI policies, identify gaps in Tanzania’s AI implementation, and develop new AI policies and guidelines to address these gaps.

Regarding digital infrastructure, the strategy emphasises building robust infrastructure to support AI development in Tanzania. This includes promoting awareness and incentives to boost local investment in public data centres and cloud computing services, improving network connectivity for AI infrastructure, increasing the availability of open data, investing in the creation of Swahili language resources, and promoting green energy-powered data centres.

Finally, data will serve as the backbone of AI development. The government aims to establish an open, secure, and trusted data ecosystem to drive the AI revolution. This involves ensuring the availability of open data, building secure data infrastructure for sustainable AI, and implementing enhanced data governance structures. Other enablers include emerging technologies, cybersecurity applications, and AI standards.

Once implemented, the strategy envisions the use of AI in key national sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, financial services, transport and logistics, media and entertainment, energy, and justice.