Ugandans have reacted to an article by Victoria University Vice Chancellor Dr Lawrence Muganga. Titled ‘Why Uganda needs a ministry of AI,’ the article was published by the government owned The New Vision, one of the two major English language dailies on President Yoweri Museveni’s table everyday,
The article’s contents have been questioned by data researcher and policy analyst Bernard Sabiti who pointed out how it was heavily generated by AI.
“I didn’t want to comment before reading the piece. Reading it, I smelt AI’sh language so I did a lil’ check. Now I can nolonger comment on the merits of his proposal which is sad. Does The New Vision have a plagiarism checker? I have to admit; using AI to vouch for AI is ba*ass,” wrote Sabiti.
Immediately, two groups emerged: one supporting Dr Muganga for using AI to prompt engineer content on the same (artificial intelligence); and another accusing him of plagiarism and of failing to indicate that the article was partly generated by AI.
Dr Muganga came in to defend himself. “It is disheartening to see such a transformative tool of our time being dismissed without a clear understanding of its purpose and potential. Your argument is not only misinformed but also counterproductive at a time when embracing technology is essential for progress,” he wrote back.
“Let me explain. AI is a tool that you have to prompt to get what you need and requires that you have a great understanding of a skill called Prompt Engineering and such a skill isn’t for everyone, you have to learn it and master it, only then you can see the magic! As you may know the purpose of AI is to solve complex problems, improve productivity, and reduce costs among other things. Comparing using an AI tool or model to plagiarism is a significant misunderstanding and here I should be quick to add that, it’s okay to not know something but showing some effort that you want to learn and not to just criticize is commendable.”
Pushed to stick to the issue of alleged plagiarism and failure to attribute the content to AI, Dr Muganga responded “this isn’t academic writing or published research! No sir, it’s a letter or an opinion!”
On the issue of a ministry for AI, some commenters on microblogging site X, formerly Twitter, accused Dr Muganga of seeking his own – or engineering some form of kwetega (self-positioning for a big government job).
“We have the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance (looking at our state I don’t know what guidance they do). We have Dr Monica Musenero’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation). All these can and have the purview to deal with AI,” wrote a one DBwambale @TheMutaD
“Just ask for your LC300 and sirens and leave us alone, man. We don’t need another ministry when we are ostensibly, rationalizing the government.”
A few years ago, Dr Muganga, who belongs of the Banyarwanda or Abavandimwe of Uganda, was in trouble with Ugandan security agencies over allegations of spying on government. But he was later released on President Yoweri Museveni’s orders, as reported Here and There.
Muganga’s proposal, its alleged flaws not withstanding, comes at a time when government is scrapping off agencies such as UNRA. (See Details Here and There).
THEY’RE PARASITES: Museveni Exposes the ‘Sins’ of UNRA, UCDA and Why They Must be Disbanded
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