Ghana Calls PR Leaders to Demystify AI and Drive Inclusive Innovation
At the 2025 PR Knowledge Sharing Conference on October 2 at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana's Ministry for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations urged PR and communications professionals to make AI clear, useful, and safe for every citizen.
The government's digital transformation agenda is explicit: build a digitally inclusive, data-driven society and deploy AI responsibly across sectors. Your role is to translate AI from buzzword to public value-and to do it in a way that builds trust.
Why this matters for PR and Communications
People hear about AI every day, but most don't know what it means for their health, education, jobs, or businesses. PR teams are the link between technical progress and public confidence. Clear messaging now will reduce confusion, reduce backlash, and speed up sensible adoption.
What the government is rolling out
- Ghana AI Practitioners Guide: A practical playbook to support adoption across public and private sectors.
- National AI Strategy: Near completion with support from the UK's FCDO, planned for launch later this year. Learn about the FCDO.
- $1B UAE partnership: Establishing Africa's first AI Innovation Hub in the Greater Accra Region.
- Local-language AI: Collaboration with academic institutions to develop LLMs for Twi, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, Nzema, Kusasi, Yoruba, Hausa, Creole, and Swahili-so solutions reflect local culture and context.
- Ghanaian innovation in action: Moremi AI for early cancer detection (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and research from Google's Accra lab supporting the company's global addressing system. Google Research Accra
Your move: practical actions for PR teams
- Translate AI into outcomes: Build short explainers linking use-cases to public benefit-faster diagnosis, better school access, easier payments, safer transport.
- Create an AI message kit: Plain-language glossary, FAQs, risk statements, and approved claims. Keep it updated as policies and pilots evolve.
- Prioritize local languages: Publish releases, FAQs, and how-tos in Twi, Ga, Ewe, and other widely used languages. Partner with local creators for accuracy and reach.
- Codify ethics: Standardize disclosures (what data, why, who benefits), consent flows, human oversight, and red-flag escalation. Align with legal and IT.
- Media-train spokespeople: Prepare concise answers on benefits, limits, safeguards, and accountability. Use examples from health, education, and MSME support.
- Pilot responsibly: Use AI for drafts, sentiment analysis, and media monitoring-with human review. Label AI-assisted outputs internally.
- Measure trust and comprehension: Track understanding, sentiment shifts, adoption in key segments, and response time to misinformation.
- Build coalitions: Coordinate with ministries, universities, and industry bodies to align messaging, share evidence, and avoid mixed signals.
Talking points you can use this week
- AI is a tool that helps people and teams do higher-value work.
- We test for bias, explain how systems make decisions, and keep a human in the loop.
- Local-language support ensures everyone can participate and benefit.
- Data protection and consent are built into our process from day one.
Risks to address upfront
- Bias and fairness: Explain datasets, testing, and remediation plans.
- Privacy and security: Clarify what data is collected, stored, and who can access it.
- Safety and misuse: Outline safeguards, audit schedules, and takedown paths.
- Job impact: Position AI as augmentation, plus plans for reskilling and new roles.
Resources
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) - collaboration partner on Ghana's National AI Strategy.
- Google Research Accra - AI research contributing to global addressing and other applications.
- AI courses by job: PR, comms, and marketing - practical upskilling paths for your team.
Bottom line: The policy foundation is almost set. PR and communications leaders who explain AI clearly, respect local languages, and lead on ethics will set the standard for responsible adoption-across government, business, and communities.
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