Prof. Isaac Wiafe calls for human-centred AI to drive Ghana’s development

Professor Isaac Wiafe of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Ghana has called for Ghana to adopt a human-centred approach to artificial intelligence (AI), arguing that the technology will only be relevant if it addresses the country’s real development challenges.

He made the call while delivering his inaugural lecture at the University of Ghana’s Great Hall on Thursday under the theme, “Why AI is Irrelevant to Ghana: Reclaiming Our Future through Human-Centred Transformation.”

According to Prof. Wiafe, AI has become one of the most influential technologies in the world and is widely promoted as a solution to problems in healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, transportation and economic development.

However, he argued that in its current form, AI offers limited value to Ghana because many of the technologies are designed using foreign priorities, datasets and assumptions that do not reflect Ghana’s social, cultural and economic realities.

The computer scientist said the issue was not whether Ghana should adopt AI, but whether the country could develop AI systems that understand local languages, reflect Ghanaian culture and solve the everyday problems facing its people.

Prof. Wiafe explained that awareness of AI alone does not lead to development, stressing that technology only becomes useful when it changes decisions, influences behaviour and improves people’s lives.

He noted that while Ghana’s informal sector employs between 70 and 80 per cent of the country’s workforce, it contributes only about 27 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), suggesting that most workers are not benefiting from AI-driven productivity.

Using recent flooding in Accra as an example, he said Ghana has accumulated enough data over the years to predict floods but has often failed to act on the available information.

According to him, recent floods exposed weaknesses in emergency response, drainage management, planning and disaster preparedness.

He explained that AI could accurately forecast floods and identify high-risk areas, but such predictions would have little impact if institutions failed to enforce regulations and citizens ignored warnings.

Prof. Wiafe stressed that technology alone cannot transform society, saying meaningful development depends on responsible decision-making, implementation, enforcement and behavioural change.

He introduced the concept of “contextual intelligence,” explaining that AI systems must understand Ghana’s languages, culture, institutions and social realities before they can effectively serve the country.

The professor warned that the global competition in AI is no longer centred on natural resources but on the ability to develop intelligent systems that shape knowledge, education and decision-making.

He cautioned that if Ghana continued relying mainly on foreign AI platforms, the country would not only be importing software but also foreign intelligence.

According to him, Ghana’s greatest risk is not failing to adopt AI but depending heavily on technologies developed elsewhere without building the capacity to create its own.

Prof. Wiafe further revealed that his research uncovered racial and cultural biases in some AI systems, where image-generation tools frequently associated intelligence, beauty and scholarship with white people while portraying Black people negatively.

He urged users to question AI-generated responses instead of accepting them as completely objective.

The professor proposed several measures to make AI more relevant to Ghana, including building a national data infrastructure, investing in local language datasets, training AI experts and developing efficient AI systems designed for Ghana’s unique needs.

He appealed to parents to encourage the use of Ghanaian languages at home, saying local languages must remain active if AI systems are to understand and preserve them.

Prof. Wiafe called on universities, research institutions and policymakers to work together to build AI solutions that improve agriculture, healthcare, education, business and services for persons with disabilities.

He disclosed that researchers at the University of Ghana had already developed AI tools, including speech technologies for Ghanaian languages, health chatbots and digital platforms designed to support persons with disabilities.

The professor warned that delays in approving new academic programmes could leave Ghana behind in rapidly changing fields such as AI and called for more responsive accreditation processes.

He concluded that AI would only become relevant to Ghana when it improves the daily lives of ordinary citizens, strengthens local institutions and supports inclusive national development.

Prof. Wiafe argued in the abstract of his inaugural lecture that Ghana should shift from an AI-first approach to a human-first approach to digital transformation.

He said such a shift would prioritise local needs, indigenous knowledge, cultural preservation and community empowerment rather than simply adopting foreign technologies.

According to him, Ghana’s immediate priorities should include improving digital infrastructure, expanding affordable internet access, strengthening digital literacy and developing technologies that address everyday social and economic challenges.

He warned that the current global AI ecosystem risks creating a new form of digital dependence, weakening local innovation and increasing inequalities if countries like Ghana remain consumers rather than creators of AI technologies.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, described the lecture as thought-provoking and said it challenged participants to rethink the purpose of AI and its role in national development.

She said one of the key lessons from the lecture was that technology must always serve humanity and improve people’s lives rather than simply becoming more advanced.

Prof. Amfo stressed that Africa must play a greater role in developing AI systems that reflect its languages, cultures and development priorities instead of relying entirely on technologies created elsewhere.

She commended Prof. Wiafe for his contributions to AI research and innovation, describing his work as practical, bold and important to Ghana’s digital future.

By: Jacob Aggrey