Handbook for Implementing a Capacity Building Programme for Policy Makers on AI

Strengthening AI Policy Making In The Global South

While a range of digital policy resources have been developed over the years, this handbook is the first to offer a consolidated curriculum that not only covers the foundations of AI and implications for policymakers, but also contains a series of interactive activities and exercises that facilitate peer-learning and advances adult learning about AI. 

Despite the increased integration of AI-driven technologies across a range of different sectors - including healthcare, education, agriculture, environment, as well as safety and security - and a growing number of AI leaders and policy experts from the Global South, many of whom are members of the Policy Maker Network, AI remains a relatively untouched area of governance in many countries 

Given the ubiquitous nature of emerging technologies in everyday life, including for people who live in the Global South, there is a need to strengthen local knowledge of what AI is, how it works, and what it is used for, and to increase access to training tools and open access resources in order to demystify AI and demonstrate its relevance to developmental goals and agendas. Further, it is important to design programmes that hone the existing capacities of government to develop laws and policies in order to leverage the benefits of AI while also mitigating potential harms, and ultimately ensuring that the interests of people remain at the forefront of all decision-making processes. 

Peer-Learning For Capacity Building

Implementing a capacity building programme is one way to do this, but the way a programme is facilitated is just as important as the content being presented. This is especially true when an anticipated outcome of the programme is for policymakers to identify, cultivate and support locally appropriate and sustainable measures relating to AI. 

The consolidated curriculum provided in the handbook covers a range of topics that can be modified or adapted to suit the needs of a particular audience or context. The course content includes a series of presentations and learning templates that cover the following areas:

• Module 1: Introduction to AI - overview of AI and considerations for the Global South 
• Module 2: Fundamentals of Tech Policy - AI policy enablers and the importance of sectoral approaches
• Module 3: Governance as an Enabler - data governance and sharing, ethics & human rights
• Module 4: Getting Practical - co-production and design, conducting social impact assessments
• Module 5: Institutional Readiness - capacities for building responsible AI ecosystems 

The facilitation methodology used in the handbook is ADIDS, an approach which maintains that adults learn best when they are invited to self-direct their learning experience, rather than being asked to passively digest the information being presented to them. Each letter of the ADIDS acronym refers to five main stages of how each session is structured: 

• Activity: interactive activity that introduces the topic
• Discussion: plenary discussion where participants share their relationship (professionally and/or personally) to the topic and share initial thoughts/ideas/experiences with it
• Input: expert provides input on topic using different formats and methods (presentation, videos, quizzes, discussions, etc.)
• Deepening: group exercise where participants apply content of input in a practical way 
• Synthesis: plenary discussion that integrates knowledge gained throughout session 

In this way, ADIDS is a highly interactive methodology that encourages peer-learning by asking participants to offer their insights on a particular topic. Participants are then presented with new information in a series of stages using different methods and formats before engaging in an exercise that involves applying their knowledge and reflecting on its value and relevance to their work, and synthesising new insights that can advance everyone’s learning experience.

The handbook is published under a CC-BY-NC licence. This means that you can use the content for noncommercial purposes, in any way you like, as long as you acknowledge the source. You can include an acknowledgement by adding the following citation to your work:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). 2022. Handbook for Implementing a Capacity Building Programme for Policy Makers on AI. https://bit.ly/AIPolicyHandbook