Faith and tech leaders meet in Nairobi to shape AI ethics

Faith, technology and policy leaders met in Nairobi for the third Faith-AI Covenant roundtable to discuss how artificial intelligence can protect human dignity, support youth resilience and reflect African voices. The group also focused on risks such as radicalization, algorithmic amplification and the need for local languages and oversight in AI systems.

Why it matters: - The Nairobi roundtable put African faith leaders and technologists at the center of a global effort to define the values that should guide artificial intelligence. - The discussions focused on practical risks for a young, highly connected continent, including radicalization, weak local representation in AI systems and the need to protect children and young people. - The Covenant aims to shape voluntary principles that strengthen social trust, protect human dignity and serve the common good.

What happened: - Senior faith leaders, technology companies, policymakers and academics gathered in Nairobi on Tuesday for the third roundtable in the Faith-AI Covenant series. - The event brought together Christian, Muslim and interfaith networks, African technology organizations, academics and civil society experts. - The roundtable was co-chaired by Dana Humaid, chief executive of the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities, and Baroness Joanna Shields OBE, CEO of Precognition. - The Nairobi meeting built on earlier convenings in New York and Paris. - The next regional convenings will take place in Asia later this year, with the final gathering set for Abu Dhabi in 2027.

The details: - Participants examined how generative AI tools can translate extremist recruitment material into Swahili, Somali and coastal dialects. - The group also discussed algorithmic amplification of grievance and the limits of content removal and moderation. - Kenya’s National AI Strategy 2025–2030 was part of the discussion, alongside ways to embed ethics and human oversight in African settings. - The conversation centered on two themes: how digital environments shape young people’s identity and moral development, and how AI affects children’s growth and emotional well-being. - The roundtable highlighted the role of faith communities, platform developers, educators and civil society in building safeguards. - Nairobi participants included Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Bishop Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa, Amb. Mussie Hailu, Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, Dr. Mustafa Yusuf Ali, representatives of the All Africa Conference of Churches and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, and technology and policy specialists from IBM Research Africa, Qhala, Indigenius AI, Vambo AI, the Africa AI Council, AFRICA AIGN and universities across the region. - The Faith-AI Covenant was established by the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities in partnership with Precognition. - The initiative draws on the United Arab Emirates’ model of pairing investment in AI with religious moderation, interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence. - Precognition is a London-based firm that advises organizations working at the frontier of AI and emerging technology. - The Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities focuses on community safety issues including extremism, radicalization and human trafficking. - More information is available on Precognition’s website. - The organizers also maintain LinkedIn, Instagram and X accounts.

Between the lines: - The Covenant is positioning faith leaders as a counterweight to the speed and scale of AI development. - The emphasis on African languages, communal ethics and local ownership points to a broader debate over who gets to define the norms built into global AI systems. - The discussion of youth resilience reflects a concern that AI will influence identity formation and social belonging as much as information access. - Dana Humaid said the UAE model showed that technological leadership and religious moderation can advance together, and that African leaders want the same balance across the continent. - Baroness Joanna Shields said the goal is not to slow innovation but to guide it with conscience, and that African voices are critical to defining the values embedded in AI.

What's next: - Insights from Nairobi, New York and Paris will inform the Covenant’s next steps. - Additional convenings are planned in Asia before the Abu Dhabi launch in 2027. - The Covenant will continue working on principles and voluntary commitments for AI governance that center dignity, trust and the common good.