By a Correspondent
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has been appointed a founding commissioner of the AI for Good Global Commission, a United Nations-backed initiative aimed at expanding digital access and accelerating the responsible use of artificial intelligence to drive economic growth.
The commission, established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), brings together more than 40 leaders from governments, businesses and international organisations to promote the safe, ethical and inclusive development of AI.
Mupita joins a high-profile group of commissioners that includes Jensen Huang, Brad Smith and Andy Jassy.
“It is an honour to be one of the founding commissioners of the AI for Good Global Commission,” Mupita said.
“At MTN Group, we believe that developments in AI have the potential to advance health, education, food security and industrial productivity.”
He added that AI must be developed in a way that is safe, ethical and globally inclusive, saying those principles align closely with the commission’s mission.
The AI for Good Global Commission builds on the work of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which has played a key role in shaping global efforts to expand digital inclusion and promote sustainable economic development.
The commission’s inaugural meeting will be held in Geneva and will be co-chaired by co-chaired by Rwanda President Paul Kagame and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
MTN has identified AI as one of its key strategic priorities, with the company aiming to generate R30 billion (US$1.84 billion) in value-creation opportunities over the next three to five years by leveraging the technology across its operations.
