Raadhika Sihin

The EU AI Act with its pioneering risk-based approach, sets a precedent for regulating AI by categorising applications based on their potential risks to individuals and society. By establishing clear guidelines for high-risk AI systems whilst imposing outright bans on some risks like social scoring, the Act seeks to balance ethics with AI development. However, stringent regulations risk presents some trade-offs, like having high compliance burdens for SMEs and startups, which can stifle innovation, pushing talent and investment to more business-friendly AI regions, and limiting Europe’s AI leadership.  
1. Navigating the EU AI Act: How can regulators ensure the EU remains an AI leader while implementing risk-tiered regulations that prevent harm without stifling technological progress?  
2. Competitiveness vs Overregulation: With global AI competition intensifying, what policy strategies can ensure that AI startups and enterprises thrive without unnecessary compliance burdens?  
3. Ethical AI as a competitive advantage: Can responsible AI practices become a strategic differentiator for European companies, positioning them as global leaders in trustworthy, human-centric AI deployment?  

As AI adoption accelerates globally, governments in the global south are shaping data regulations to govern its development and use. The EU and GDPR have set global benchmarks for responsible AI governance, but do these frameworks guide or constrain adoption of AI in the Global South? Should stringent AI governance frameworks be replicated, adapted or reimagined for emerging markets?  How do these policies impact SMEs, startups and institutions broadly, given compliance costs, regulatory capacity and skills gap.
 
1. How can policymakers and businesses in the Global South balance AI expansion with consumer rights, economic growth, and local challenges such as digital literacy and limited AI infrastructure?
2.  Can a risk-based approach to AI regulation ensure ethical deployment without stifling local innovation?
3. SMEs are key to job creation. How can governments introduce scaled compliance to encourage SME growth whilst balancing accountability
4. Are regional data sharing agreements the way to go, balancing sovereignty of data and facilitating regional trade and growth

Africa is taking a bold step toward seamless cross-border payments with the recent MoU between the Bank of Ghana and the National Bank of Rwanda, marking the continent’s first license pass-porting framework. Signed at the Inclusive FinTech Forum in February 2025, this initiative aims to enable FinTechs to expand more easily across borders while also exploring payment interoperability between the two nations. 

In collaboration with GFTN and PAPSS, the two central banks have launched a central bank-led initiative to build and test the Next-Gen Digital Public Infrastructure (Next-Gen DPI) framework. This initiative is designed to harmonise regulatory and technical standards to facilitate faster, more efficient, and scalable cross-border transactions across the continent. The framework will be complementary to existing public and private sector efforts, serving as a model for interoperability across African markets. 

With an open invitation to other African central banks, this initiative presents an unprecedented opportunity for regional collaboration, ensuring that Africa’s digital payment landscape is inclusive, scalable, and globally competitive.