President Ruto champions use of AI to enhance public service delivery
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
Ruto outlined how AI could transform platforms like e-Citizen by providing instant solutions, reducing wait times, and minimising opportunities for fraud.
President William Ruto has called for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionise public service delivery, enhance transparency, and reduce inefficiencies.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Thursday, Ruto outlined how AI could transform platforms like e-Citizen by providing instant solutions, reducing wait times, and minimising opportunities for fraud.
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"AI is the next frontier, and we are already witnessing its transformative potential," Ruto said, adding that it provides an opportunity to reimagine government services and create smarter systems.
The President proposed that AI-powered tools, such as a chatbot for e-Citizen, could greatly enhance service delivery.
This, he explained, would allow citizens to receive immediate assistance with their inquiries, streamlining processes and ensuring greater efficiency. "AI offers opportunities to reimagine service delivery, enhance transparency, and create smarter systems."
According to President Ruto, AI would also enable the government to move from reactive to proactive service delivery by anticipating the needs of citizens and designing solutions to meet those needs.
He further stressed the responsible use of public data to develop citizen-driven solutions, ensuring that services are personalised to meet the unique needs of every Kenyan.
"As we celebrate the remarkable achievements of e-Citizen, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to innovation and adaptation in the digital economy," Ruto said, recognising the efforts of ministries, departments, and agencies that have embraced digital transformation.
"I commend our ministries, departments, and agencies for embracing this policy shift and providing public services through digital platforms. Your compliance has been the backbone of this transformation," the President concluded, reaffirming the government's commitment to improving service delivery through technology.
In September, Ruto said that his administration was already leveraging Artificial Intelligence to provide services to Kenyans. He said that even as the state awaits for Parliament to pass the necessary legislation, it is already using AI to offer some services.
He said that already the distribution of the new university funding model uses AI to determine the amount one gets, as well as the financial status of the parents.
The President stated that it is also being used to distribute the government's subsidised fertiliser to farmers across the country.
Ruto further noted that his administration was looking at using AI to determine beneficiaries of the Universal Health Coverage, through the newly introduced Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
"Parliament is now seized with the necessary legislation and guidelines that will support our AI journey. Already we are leveraging on AI to do our Means Testing Instrument for how we are distributing education money to beneficiaries so that we can use AI to get the algorithms that will give us what is the financial status of each parent," he said.
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