Parliament to embrace AI in generating reports
Parliament has revealed its intention to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology into its reporting system, to significantly reduce the time required to produce Hansard Reports.
This initiative is expected to halve the time needed for report generation while ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and timeliness. The announcement was made during the 6th Hansard Association of Kenya (HAK) Annual Conference held in Naivasha, gathering Hansard reporters from both parliament and the 47 county assemblies.
Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Serah Kioko, underscored the importance of embracing AI in parliamentary reporting to streamline the process and enhance accuracy stressing that adopting the emerging technology would expedite report production without compromising quality.
Discussions at the conference shed light on the inadequate resources and understaffing plaguing county assemblies, hindering the efficient production of Hansard reports.
Kioko highlighted the reliance of institutions such as the Judiciary and the National Land Commission on Hansard reports and assured that the introduction of AI technology would not diminish the role of human resources in the reporting process.
“Artificial Intelligence is here with us and we cannot ignore but embrace it as we move to reduce the time taken to produce these reports that are very crucial,” she said.
Denis Mutui, an official of the Society of Clerks at the Table in Kenyan Legislatures (SOCATT), lamented the lack of equipment and personnel in many county assemblies, attributing it to financial constraints post-devolution and urged counties to invest in live-streaming so that members of the public could get a chance to hear and view their elected leaders’ articulate issues in county assemblies.
“Despite the financial constraints, counties should invest in recording equipment and personnel as this will assist in production of better Hansard reports,” he said.
Overall, the move to integrate AI into parliamentary reporting signifies a concerted effort to technologize and enhance the efficiency of the legislative process in Kenya.
