Windhoek: National Council Secretary Tousy Namiseb has called for deliberate measures to address the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence (AI) driven misinformation and synthetic media to parliamentary work and public trust. Namiseb made the call on Thursday during the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT) Africa Region Learning and Sharing Workshop, held as part of the ongoing 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Namiseb's presentation, titled 'Navigating AI, Misinformation and Public Trust in Parliamentary Work', emphasized the need for Parliament to prioritize the training of politicians and public awareness as part of efforts to respond to AI-driven disinformation. Namiseb noted that AI has made it possible for almost anyone to produce convincing text, images, audio, and video at scale and at minimal cost, increasing the potential for misinformation to spread rapidly.
He highlighted deepfakes and AI-generated content as particular risks, adding that false or synthetic material can undermine confidence in Parliament and democratic processes. 'AI-enabled misinformation affects every parliamentary function,' he said, noting that members of Parliament could unknowingly rely on inaccurate or AI-generated claims during debates, while committees may require stronger verification of digital evidence and submissions.
Despite the threats, Namiseb also highlighted opportunities for Parliament to harness AI, including faster analysis of legislation, policy papers, and public submissions, improved communication with citizens, detection of misinformation, and more efficient parliamentary administration. He stressed that AI should support rather than replace human judgement. For instance, Namiseb said that AI could assist Parliament in analyzing thousands of public submissions by identifying common themes and summarizing key issues, while final decisions remain with humans.
Concerning Namibia's response, Namiseb emphasized that the National AI Governance Strategy, established in February 2025, seeks to guide responsible AI adoption while promoting economic growth, public services, innovation, and digital inclusion. He said that Namibia's approach emphasizes ethical and human-centred AI, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and public trust. Namiseb noted that Namibia's AI strategy should ensure that the technology benefits citizens, strengthens public services and innovation, protects rights, and avoids deepening inequality or dependency.