In the beginning, there was God. Then came Man... and eventually, AI

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By Rebecca Namirimu -Gomes

In the beginning, there was God. Then came man. Then, electricity lit up our lives, the internet connected us, smartphones glued us to their glowing screens and now, ladies and gentlemen, we find ourselves face-to-face with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The latest brainiac on the block.

AI doesn’t just play chess or recommend YouTube videos, its here auditioning for almost every job in Uganda. Banks and telecoms have adopted bots to handle customer inquiries replacing call center agents, Apps like Eversend or Chipper Cash offer banking-like services without traditional staff, replacing Bank tellers and Loan officers, AI diagnostic tools (M-SCAN, ScanNav) are used in many of our hospitals and might soon replace radiologists, AI is receiving applications on behalf of the Ministry of Public Service Commission and tools like SomaTutor AI, Khan Academy’s AI tutor, or EdTech chatbots are increasingly being used in Uganda’s urban schools and might replace tutors or teaching assistants.

AI has tiptoed into our lives and economy, promising to do our jobs faster and let’s be honest, it's less likely to call in sick during the rainy season or demand tea breaks. As a result, jobs are being redefined or quietly phased out. Some Government departments and NGOs have digitised their operations and are using AI to scan and extract data from forms, taking over from data entry clerks. Kampala city has even adapted the use of facial recognition and object detection software. So what happens when a human bank teller is replaced by a touch screen? Do we just shrug and say, “Eh, technology!”?

Uganda is already knee-deep in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Tech hubs are sprouting faster than Rolex stands at lunchtime, and AI is no longer some distant fantasy from a Hollywood sci-fi script. It’s here. It’s learning Luganda (with the occasional hilarious translation mishap), and it’s making financial decisions faster than your uncle can say mobile money.

But here’s the twist: while technology is sprinting ahead in designer sneakers, our legal frameworks are limping behind in dusty and heavy gumboots. Uganda’s digital laws, like the Data Protection and Privacy Act and the Computer Misuse and Electronic Transactions Acts are brave but outdated. Not a single one mentions AI and trying to regulate AI with these laws is like attempting to ride a boda-boda while balancing a fish, an umbrella, and a goat. Noble? Absolutely. Practical? Not quite.

To be fair, Uganda isn’t entirely defenceless. The Data Protection and Privacy Act gives citizens rights over their personal data and requires data handlers to be responsible stewards. The trouble is, AI didn’t get the memo.  It continues to collect data, draw conclusions, and send your digital footprint gallivanting across international servers. Modern AI vacuums up personal information faster than your house help at a neighbourhood gossip session. From ride-hailing and health-tracking apps to e-learning platforms, AI systems are profiling, filtering, and making decisions, often with minimal or no human oversight. Yet the Data Protection and Privacy Act is silent on algorithmic accountability and transparency. It’s like throwing a wedding and forgetting to invite the bride.

All this is made worse by the fact that most Ugandan users routinely click “I agree” on AI-powered apps without reading a single word of the terms and conditions. In doing so, they essentially donate their data to global AI systems, many of which are hosted outside Uganda’s legal jurisdiction (Apps like ChatGPT, Siri, Alexa, and Uber operate across borders), while users remain largely unaware of what’s being collected, sold, or algorithmically analysed. But let’s be clear: AI is not a villain. It’s a tool. And if used wisely, it could transform Uganda and her economy, improving healthcare delivery, revolutionising agriculture, enhancing education, and even creating new industries. But just like a vehicle without brakes, AI needs regulation.

Uganda stands at a digital crossroads. We can either build a future where technology uplifts all, or one where it leaves many behind. Let’s not wait until robots and AI powered systems are debating land tenure policy in Parliament. The time to act smartly, justly, and legally is now.

The writer is pursuing a Ph.D in Artificial Intelligence and the Law at the University of Cape Town, she is a Lawyer, Lecturer and Head, Undergraduate Studies, School of Law, Uganda Christian University.

You can reach her on rebmimu@gmail.com.