Amman:The Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) to implement strong human oversight and governance for its proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centre. This initiative aims to protect sensitive nuclear information and prevent the potential misuse of emerging technologies.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings emphasized the importance of integrating effective safeguards when incorporating artificial intelligence into nuclear-related operations. She highlighted the risk of losing human control over critical systems if the necessary legal, institutional, and technical protections are not established.
During a working visit to the Commission, she expressed concern about the dangers of feeding sensitive nuclear data into AI systems without adequate safeguards. Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings insisted on the inclusion of human governance in the AI initiative, stressing the need for a careful assessment of how emerging technologies are managed.
As Ghana explores expanding its nuclear technology capabilities, including potential nuclear power generation, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings pointed out the necessity of retaining highly skilled personnel. She noted the significant time and resources required to train professionals in specialized fields like nuclear science, which can take up to 15 years to develop the necessary expertise.
The minister also addressed the high attrition rate among specialized professionals in the scientific sector and advocated for comprehensive engagement with staff to identify the challenges leading to their departure. She urged the Ministry and relevant agencies to collaborate on improving staff retention and strengthening the country's scientific capacity.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings called for increased public education on the work of GAEC, emphasizing its impact on everyday life areas such as medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, mining, and radiation safety. She stressed the importance of educating communities around mining sites about radiation exposure and respecting safety zones.
She encouraged the Commission to enhance its public communication efforts to make its scientific work more accessible to citizens. By improving public awareness, citizens can better understand the responsibilities of scientific institutions and their own roles in promoting safety and security.
During her visit, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings toured GAEC facilities and engaged with officials to evaluate their achievements, operational challenges, and resource needs.