As Ghanaian businesses move faster to adopt artificial intelligence, a new business risk is emerging alongside the technology: who takes responsibility when an AI system makes the wrong decision?
That question is at the heart of ‘Beyond Breach: Where AI Meets Governance’, a new book by Dr. Samuel Boateng, founder and CEO of Slamm Technologies, which examines how organisations can manage the risks that come with increasingly automated business decisions.
The book was launched virtually on August 2, bringing together government officials, cybersecurity experts, technology professionals and business leaders from Ghana, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Dr. Boateng argues that businesses cannot afford to pursue AI adoption without putting governance, cybersecurity and accountability systems in place.
“As the world, especially Africa, embraces the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, we must ensure that adoption is matched by strong governance, cybersecurity and ethical leadership,” he said.
When machines start making business decisions
The concern is becoming more relevant as companies increasingly use AI in areas that directly affect customers.
During a panel discussion at the launch, cybersecurity experts examined what happens when autonomous AI systems make decisions such as whether someone qualifies for a loan or how an insurance claim should be assessed.
The problem, they noted, is not simply whether the technology works. It is also whether a customer can understand why a decision was made, challenge it and have a human review it when necessary.
For banks, insurers and other businesses relying on automated decision-making, this creates a new layer of operational, regulatory and reputational risk.
Governance could become a competitive issue
Dr. Boateng describes Beyond Breach as a practical tool for executives, security professionals, compliance officers, academics and policymakers rather than a theoretical book.
The book examines AI regulation across major markets, including Brussels, Washington and Accra, while addressing AI security, organisational governance and the role of company boards.
This is particularly important for businesses operating across borders. As different countries develop their own rules for artificial intelligence, companies will increasingly have to understand where their AI systems can be deployed, what data they can use and who is accountable when things go wrong.
Lady Rosa Whitaker Duncan-Williams, President and CEO of the Whitaker Group and principal architect of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), described the book as an invitation to engage with one of the defining business and policy conversations of the current generation.
Preparing Ghanaian businesses
The launch also drew support from Ghana’s cybersecurity authorities.
Michael Kwakye, Principal Manager of Cybersecurity Technology Standards at the Cyber Security Authority, said he hoped the gathering would encourage further discussion on securing Ghana’s digital future.
For Ghanaian businesses, the issue goes beyond compliance.
Companies that introduce AI into customer service, financial decisions, recruitment, cybersecurity and other operations will need people who understand not only how to deploy the technology, but also how to control its risks.
Dr. Boateng brings more than two decades of cybersecurity experience to the discussion, including previous roles at the Library of Congress, Symantec and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Through the Slamm Foundation, he has also provided cybersecurity and IT training to tens of thousands of people across the African diaspora.
With Beyond Breach marking the first of a planned five-volume series on AI governance, cybersecurity, risk management and responsible AI, the author is positioning the conversation around a growing business reality: AI may make companies faster and more efficient, but without proper governance, it can also create risks that businesses are not prepared to manage.
