At the recent CIO of the Future Summit held in Kampala, Uganda, participants identified AI as one of their main concerns with loopholes in AI governance emerging as one of the greatest hindrances towards its effective use.
During the first panel discussion at the CITO East Africa CIO of the Future Summit held in Kampala, Uganda on 14 August, Sulaiman Mugalasi, CIO of Airtel Money Uganda, shared how the company has been able to use AI for digital transformation, which has in turn translated into positive business outcomes.
"AI-enabled reconciliation, intelligent fraud monitoring, business analytics and automation are improving efficiency, supporting faster decisions and enhancing customer experiences," he said.
However, as the discussion progressed, it became clear that Airtel Money Uganda, under Sulaiman's leadership, represents only a small fraction of companies that have been able to get results from AI adoption.
Why most companies are falling behind
During the panel discussion, it emerged that most companies have still not been able to capitalise on the capabilities of AI due to several factors.
The first, according to Annet Nanungi, head of IT at the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), is the lack of proper policies.
"People are really going in for AI when there are no policies in place. You're wondering, how we have been developing and utilising AI without these policies," she said.
Another factor identified during the panel discussion is the lack of proper understanding of how to use AI, with Ivas Kwikiriza, head of business technology at Tropical Bank Uganda, likening AI to a baby, due to the fact that it only gives what is fed into it.
"AI depends on quality data, clear governance, appropriate policies, responsible use and the capabilities of the people guiding it," he said.
Getting adoption right
To help companies fully leverage the benefits of AI, panellists also raised different suggestions.
Kenneth Ogwang, the head of digital and technology at Diageo, advised participants to understand the business and the value they want instead of building new tools all the time.
"Organisations do not need to build every AI capability internally. The starting point should be the business problem and the value AI can create," he said.
He also advised technology leaders to ensure they ask the right questions and critically assess AI-generated information, rather than accepting it at face value.
The panel also agreed that human input is still very necessary in the age of AI.
"AI can provide faster insights and identify patterns, but human judgement, strong controls and continuous monitoring remain essential,” Sulaiman said.
His point was supported by Lilian Kamara, the IT manager at AAR Healthcare, who emphasised the importance of employee involvement.
"Start with a clear business problem, involve employees, establish governance and communicate how AI can support people rather than simply replace them," she said.
She added that leaders should communicate openly, involve employees early, provide training and show how AI can reduce repetitive work and create opportunities for higher-value contributions.
