As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries worldwide, professional company secretaries in Uganda are calling for immediate government intervention to regulate the rapidly evolving technology.
They argue that proactive legislation will help mitigate risks while ensuring AI’s responsible and ethical use in corporate governance. The call for early AI regulation was made during the 14th Annual Directors and Company Secretaries Conference, where governance professionals deliberated on AI’s transformative impact on businesses and the urgent need for legal frameworks to safeguard society.
AI regulation: A global and local imperative
While AI is already widely adopted in various sectors globally, it remains largely unregulated, except for the recently enacted EU AI Act.
Company secretaries in Uganda insist that the country must follow suit, given its growing reliance on AI technologies and a predominantly youthful population increasingly exposed to AI-driven innovations.
Jane Okot p’Bitek Langoya, chairperson of the Institute of Certified Secretaries and Administrators Uganda (ICSA), emphasized that AI is still in its early stages of transforming corporate governance but already presents significant ethical challenges.
“The major threat is the ethical component. Today, you see a picture or video on WhatsApp, and you can’t tell if it’s real or manipulated. AI can alter images and videos to create actions that are not genuine. This is a major concern,” she stated.
Langoya further warned that AI-driven automation threatens job security, as businesses increasingly adopt cost-cutting and efficiency-driven AI solutions.
“AI doesn’t have emotions like us. We are reaching a point where people will lose jobs, and this is not what we want as a country. We need solutions to upskill people and help them work alongside AI,” she said.
While acknowledging AI’s potential to enhance efficiency, Langoya stressed the importance of balancing innovation with social responsibility.
“It’s about efficiency, but not at the cost of people and the environment. The government needs to enact an AI law that protects individuals and regulates the entire AI development chain, from innovators to end-users,” she added.
Overcoming biases against AI
Despite AI’s growing influence, Langoya cautioned against fear-driven resistance, urging governance professionals to embrace AI rather than fight it.
“We are biased against AI, but it is here to stay. We need to embrace it, understand its positives and negatives, and adapt accordingly. If we don’t, it will overtake us,” she warned.
Her sentiments were echoed by Peter Kyambadde, a partner at KPMG, who highlighted AI’s increasing impact on Uganda’s economic landscape.
“We are witnessing the rise of AI across various sectors, signalling a shift toward a technology-driven economy. To remain competitive, board members and governance professionals must integrate AI into governance structures,” Kyambadde noted.
A global challenge requiring collaboration
Beyond Uganda, AI regulation remains a pressing global issue. Patrick Courtney, head of Membership at the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland, commended Ugandan professionals for addressing AI’s governance challenges at such a critical moment.
“AI is everywhere—it’s in our smartphones, computers and all the systems we use. The relevance and urgency of discussing this topic cannot be overstated. This conference is extremely timely,” he observed.
Courtney stressed that AI’s challenges are not confined to Uganda but require international cooperation to establish ethical and practical regulatory frameworks.
“It’s not just an East African or African problem—it’s a world problem. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring AI is used constructively and effectively,” he added.
Bridging innovation and regulation
The conference served as a platform for dialogue, bringing together stakeholders from the private sector, government agencies and NGOs to discuss how Uganda can leverage AI’s benefits while addressing ethical dilemmas and regulatory gaps.
With AI poised to reshape corporate governance, job markets and decision-making processes, industry experts insist that Uganda must act now to ensure AI development aligns with the country’s economic, legal, and social realities.
As businesses and governments across the world race to catch up with AI advancements, Uganda faces a critical choice—to regulate AI early and responsibly or risk playing catch-up in a future dominated by ungoverned artificial intelligence.