“We Can’t Just Let AI Happen to Us” — Why Bryan Acheampong’s Call for a National Framework Feels Personal
I didn’t think much of it when my cousin messaged me in the middle of the night:
“Bro, ChatGPT just helped me write a love letter. Should I send it?”
I laughed. Then paused. And for a moment, I wasn’t sure whether to feel impressed, amused, or just… uncomfortable. This wasn’t the first time someone close to me used AI in a way that felt oddly human. My 12-year-old nephew recently fed his homework to an app to “fix his grammar and make it sound smarter.” My aunt? She uses a voice assistant to check blood sugar recipes because the nurse at the clinic doesn’t have time to explain anymore.
It’s not that any of this is wrong. But something keeps gnawing at me. Are we just winging this whole AI thing?
So when I heard Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, say that we urgently need a “national framework for AI adoption”—I sat up. Finally, someone in power is saying the quiet part out loud: we can’t just let AI sneak into our lives and hope for the best.
“National Framework” Sounds Boring—Until You Realize What’s at Stake
I know, I know—phrases like “national framework” sound like something cooked up in a conference room filled with air conditioning and no soul. But hear me out. It’s not just about policies and documents. It’s about whether or not we as a country are ready for a future where machines don’t just assist, but decide.
And right now? We’re not.
In my experience, most people in Ghana are using AI tools without fully understanding the implications. From mobile money fraudsters using chatbots, to school kids using AI to cheat (without realizing it’s even considered cheating), to small businesses handing over their marketing strategies to algorithms they don’t understand—we’re already in deep. But there are no guardrails.
Acheampong’s point was clear: before we get dazzled by all the cool tools, we need a proper structure. We need to know who is responsible, who gets protected, and who might get left behind.
It’s Bigger Than Just Tech
This isn’t just a “tech thing.” It’s a culture, economy, and ethics thing.
Let me paint a picture. Imagine you lose your job to automation—let’s say a customer service role. But instead of being retrained or supported, you’re just… let go. No plan. No national discussion. No safety net. Multiply that by a few thousand and now you’ve got a brewing crisis, not just in unemployment but in trust, in mental health, in identity.
We’ve seen this before with globalization. We’ve seen it with social media. And we’re about to see it again with AI. Except this time, the change is faster—and deeper. AI doesn’t just change how we work. It changes how we think, relate, learn, and even love. (Back to that love letter—he sent it, by the way. She thought it was beautiful. I’m still weirded out.)
Ghana Can’t Just Copy and Paste
Here’s what I’ve noticed lately: every time we talk about AI in Africa, there’s this default idea that we have to “catch up” with the West. But catching up without thinking things through is how you end up importing problems you don’t need.
We can’t just copy Europe’s data laws or Silicon Valley’s startup playbook and expect it to work in Kumasi or Tamale. Our education system is different. Our economy is different. Our digital literacy, our values, our needs—they’re all different. We need a framework that reflects us.
So when Bryan Acheampong says we need a national plan—not just private sector investments or academic think pieces, but a real public framework—I couldn’t agree more.
Because right now, AI is like a car we’re already in… except we’re in the backseat, the GPS is in Chinese, and nobody seems to know who’s driving.
So What Would This Framework Even Look Like?
I’m not an expert. I’m just a guy who uses AI to check grammar and occasionally win arguments with my wife. But if I had a say, I’d want a framework that:
Teaches kids how AI works, not just how to use it.
Protects people from being exploited by AI-driven scams.
Holds companies accountable when they misuse our data.
Builds local AI solutions—designed by Ghanaians, for Ghanaians.
Ensures everyone—not just elites—has a say in how AI shapes our future.
(Also: can we please have rules for AI-generated love letters? Seriously.)
Where Do We Come In?
This isn’t just Bryan Acheampong’s job. It’s all of ours. Whether you’re a teacher, a techie, a tailor, or a trotro driver—AI is creeping into your world.
The question is: do we want to shape that future, or just react to it?
So here’s what I’m sitting with:
What kind of future do we want AI to help us build in Ghana?
One that’s fair, safe, empowering?
Or one that just… happens to us?
The time to decide is now. Because AI isn’t waiting. And neither should we.
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