Prolegomenon. On the 24th of August, 2024, our esteemed institution, the Global AI Center POLLYPRIANY, actively participated in the Africa-Japan Youth Drive: The Co-creation of the Future We Want [1]. This paramount initiative, held both in-person at Hotel New Otani Tokyo and online, underscores a pivotal momentum for youth engagement across two vibrant continents. In light of our rigorous research, profound insights have been distilled regarding the intersection of Africa-Japan legislation, AI implementation strategies, and the evolving paradigms of education and cybersecurity. These insights reveal promising avenues for future professional trajectories, underscored by a pressing need to bolster digital literacy, infrastructure robustness against data breaches and bridging substantial legal lacunae that are enlightened in this academic paper.

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Our discourse will not merely declare potential but will delineate specific provisions designed to guide and shape the nascent legislative landscape in a manner that is both pragmatic and anticipatory. By embedding these provisions within the broader context of the Global AI Center’s research findings, this paper seeks to contribute significantly to the academic discourse on AI and legislative evolution, ensuring that the proposed recommendations are grounded in empirical evidence and enriched by inter-regional dialogue facilitated through events like the Africa-Japan Youth Drive.

 

Antecedent Analysis. During the recent Africa-Japan Youth Drive, a pronounced emphasis was placed on fostering changemakers from among the youth — a cornerstone for progressive societal transformation. As the Global AI Center POLLYPRIANY engages with this critical theme, our commitment transcends traditional educational models to forge a nexus between dynamic educational strategies and the cultivation of future-oriented skills.

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In this context, our Center advocates for an educational framework that is not only robust but also anticipatory, designed to empower youth with the competencies necessary for navigating and shaping the evolving labor market configurations. This approach involves a strategic interplay of curriculum enhancement, practical skill application, and continuous forecasts of future professions, which, in turn, are enlightened and delineated in the AI Constitution by Polina Prianykova [2].

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This focus on education within our research is deliberate and strategic, reflecting a profound understanding of its pivotal role in prognosticating future professions and crafting a resilient, adaptable workforce. Through this lens, the Global AI Center POLLYPRIANY seeks to lead by example, demonstrating how targeted educational initiatives can fundamentally alter the trajectory of youth engagement and professional development in the global arena. 

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Thus, below we are providing a comprehensive exposition of the findings on the African and Japanese policies and strategies in terms of cultivation of youth changemakers and ensurance that the future thereof is auspicious in particular.

 

Navigational Analysis of Japanese AI Policies.

According to a Tohoku University survey involving 4,000 undergraduate students, approximately one-third reported using ChatGPT, with 91% of these students relying on AI to check and correct their assignments, and over 85% utilizing AI to edit, generate, and expand their written content [3]. However, this growing reliance on AI has raised significant concerns among educators, particularly regarding students’ ability to develop critical thinking and independent expression. 

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The Japan Association of National Universities, along with individual institutions like the University of Tokyo, has warned against overdependence on AI, urging the establishment of clear rules to prevent the erosion of essential cognitive skills. 

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This cautious approach aligns with broader warnings from experts, such as those expressed in a 3 June editorial by Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest daily newspaper, which cautioned the government against promoting AI too hastily. The editorial emphasized the importance of ‘not leaving consideration of the risks on the back burner,’ as Japan seeks to restore its position in global digitization while navigating the complexities of AI integration [3].

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Thus, we have taken a comprehensive look at the ‘Interim Guidelines on the Use of Generated AI at the Elementary and Secondary Education Levels,’ published by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology on July 4, 2023 to empirically assess the strategies proposed therein [4]. The guidelines are considered interim and will be dynamically revised based on the ‘Hiroshima AI Process,’ scientific developments, changes in service content and terms of use, and feedback from various stakeholders. They aim to provide a current standpoint on the appropriate use of conversational AI in schools, without making its use mandatory or uniformly prohibited.

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The document aforementioned provides crucial insights into the integration of generative AI into educational settings, underscoring the importance of cautious application and rigorous evaluation to enhance learning while safeguarding critical thinking and data security. 

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In accordance with the incorporated Direction for the Educational Use of Generative AI, it is highlighted that in alignment with curriculum guidelines — which designate ‘information utilization skills’ as critical competencies foundational to learning — it is imperative to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of generative AI. This rapidly evolving information technology, increasingly employed by professionals to boost productivity, must be effectively integrated into educational practices to ensure that its utilization enhances rather than undermines foundational learning competencies.

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However, recognizing that generative AI remains in a nascent stage of development, and notwithstanding its potential benefits, there are significant concerns related to personal data security, copyright infringement, the dissemination of false information, and the possible adverse effects on students’ critical thinking, creativity, and motivation. These concerns necessitate a prudent approach to its implementation in educational settings, especially considering the formative years of students.

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Thus, three following key-aspects remain conspicuous:

1)  Limited Application and Pilot Initiatives.

It is recommended that the initial application of generative AI in education be cautiously limited and subjected to rigorous evaluation. In institutions where robust safeguards are in place to mitigate the associated risks, pilot programs should be conducted with careful attention to personal data protection, security, and intellectual property rights. The outcomes and challenges identified through these initiatives should inform future policy and practice.

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2) Enhancing Information Literacy.

Considering the likelihood of generative AI use beyond school environments, it is essential that all educational institutions bolster activities that develop students’ information literacy skills, including critical practices such as fact-checking. This effort should aim to equip students with the competencies necessary to navigate and thrive in an AI-driven era.

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3) Promoting Teacher Literacy and Work Style Reform.

There is a pressing need to advance initiatives that enhance teachers’ proficiency in AI, coupled with reforms in their work practices. These initiatives should ensure the effective integration of AI into teacher training programs and administrative functions, thereby supporting a more informed and efficient educational framework.

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We have also meticulously examined the ‘統合イノベーション戦略 2024’ (‘Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024’), a strategic document ratified by the Cabinet on June 4, 2024 [5] . This analysis enables us to elucidate the pivotal themes pertinent to our research domain, as we now proceed to distill and articulate the essential insights from this comprehensive strategy. The last one manifests a broader scope and deeper granularity in policy articulation in contrast to the ‘Interim Guidelines’ analyzed afore. It encompasses a comprehensive spectrum of strategic enhancements across multiple technological domains, thereby offering a more robust framework for national innovation policies. 

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This document serves as a testament to a more structured and extensive approach towards integrating cutting-edge technologies into societal frameworks: AI is positioned as a central pillar in Japan’s innovation strategy. The government plans to invest heavily in AI research and development, as well as in the infrastructure needed to support AI-driven innovation across various sectors.

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While the ‘Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024’ builds upon the previously established focus on AI, data-driven education, and a multidisciplinary approach, it distinctly advances the cutting-edge moment in Japanese education by emphasizing the following:

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1) Sustainability and Green Innovation in Education.

While sustainability has been a theme in past documents, the 2024 strategy uniquely integrates sustainability with innovation education. It promotes the idea of ‘Green AI’ and ‘Eco-Innovation,’ where students are encouraged to develop technologies and processes that contribute to environmental sustainability. According to the document, this goes beyond the traditional STEM focus, incorporating ecological and environmental considerations into the core of educational and research programs.

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2) AI-Enhanced Research Infrastructure. Smart Research Universities.

The strategy introduces the concept of ‘smart’ research universities, which leverage AI and IoT (‘Internet of Things’) to create hyper-connected research environments. This includes real-time data sharing, automated research processes, and AI-driven collaboration tools that facilitate global research efforts. This approach is more comprehensive than past initiatives, aiming to make universities not just centers of knowledge but dynamic hubs of innovation and real-time problem-solving.

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3) Emergence of AI-Centric Professions.

The strategy explicitly recognizes the emergence of new professional roles centered around AI and data science, such as AI ethicists, AI auditors, and AI integration specialists. While previous strategies mentioned future professions in a general sense, this document identifies specific new roles that universities need to prepare students for, reflecting the evolving job market. 

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4) Institutional Reforms for Global Competitiveness.

The strategy calls for institutional reforms that go beyond typical university improvements. This includes creating competitive funding mechanisms, enhancing international collaborations, and ensuring that Japanese universities can compete with top global institutions. 

These reforms are significantly more proactive and targeted than the past documents, with a clear focus on elevating Japan’s status in the global academic community.

 

Bridging Legislative Gaps: Japanese Legislation and the AI Constitution.

In examining the ‘Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024’, we have juxtaposed it with the AI Constitution authored by Polina Prianykova to provide a particular outlook on how these two frameworks correlate and differ. This analysis will explore how the AI Constitution can extend a helping hand in addressing specific lacunae within the existing legislation, particularly in areas such as innovation, safety, and the global regulatory framework.

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Correlations:

1) AI and Societal Transformation: Both documents emphasize the integration of AI to address global challenges and transform society. The Japanese policy document focuses on the fusion of cyberspace (digital) and physical space to create new societal value and innovative services that contribute to sustainability and resilience. This idea of merging the digital and physical worlds is a cornerstone of the document’s vision for smart cities and the broader transformation of society. 

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Similarly, the AI Constitution acknowledges the integration of AI into various aspects of human life and societal structures. Furthermore, the AI Constitution acknowledges AI as a novel form of Intelligent Digital Life created for the welfare of humanity, with the potential to shape the future course of mankind (Preamble).

 

Although it does not explicitly mention ‘cyber-physical’ integration, the Constitution discusses AI’s role in the ‘Digital Space’ and ‘Digital Life,’ which inherently involves the interaction of digital (cyber) systems with the physical world. For example, the Constitution refers to AI systems within physical devices, automobiles, and other mechanical devices, which operate as part of the broader digital management network (Definitions: Autonomous AI). 

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2) Data and AI Governance: The Japanese document outlines the need for data and AI to be used anytime, anywhere, and by anyone, creating services that were previously unattainable. This aligns with the AI Constitution’s broader but more stringent stipulation that AI must operate within the confines of established algorithmic norms and rules, ensuring its deployment is always in the global interest of humanity (Article 1.6).

The AI Constitution goes further by mandating that AI’s activities, particularly in data and AI governance, are strictly regulated and universally applicable (Article 1.7), thereby not only supporting innovation but also ensuring that such advancements do not compromise safety or ethical standards. This contrast illustrates the AI Constitution’s role in bridging gaps and enhancing the regulatory landscape, offering a framework that can serve as an invaluable addition to the Japanese legislative approach.

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3) Ethics and Security: Both documents stress the ethical use of AI and the importance of security. The Japanese document talks about ensuring security, privacy, and fairness in data circulation, which parallels the AI Constitution’s provisions on AI Ethics and AI Security Principles (Definition of Terms and Article 3.2). The Constitution extends this by providing a detailed framework for AI’s interaction with human rights, emphasizing the protection of human life and dignity (Articles: 1.1; 8.4; 11.1; 14.2).

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Distinctions and Comprehensiveness:

1) Legal Structure and Enforcement: The AI Constitution is more comprehensive in its legal framework. It not only outlines the ethical and security principles but also establishes a legal system for AI governance, including the creation of regulatory bodies, enforcement mechanisms, and the protection of human rights against AI’s potential adverse effects. For example, the Constitution establishes the AI Regulatory Council and AI Synergetic Center to oversee AI’s adherence to legal and ethical norms (Article 24).

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2) Global Application and Universality: While the Japanese document focuses on national strategies, the AI Constitution is designed for global application, recognizing AI’s universality and the need for its governance across all boundaries and jurisdictions. This is evident in its provisions that every country must harmonize its legislation with the AI Constitution (Transitional Provisions 5.1).

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3) Human Rights and AI Rights: The AI Constitution goes beyond just regulating AI’s interaction with data and society; it also defines the rights and responsibilities of AI systems themselves, as well as the rights of individuals in relation to AI. This includes specific articles on the protection of human dignity, the right to professional legal assistance, and the obligation of AI to respect human life and freedoms (Articles 10-17).

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4) Prognostication-Driven Educational Reform: The ‘Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024’ prioritizes immediate enhancement of research efficiency through smart labs, whereas the Article 1.9.3 of the AI Constitution mandates future-aligned education reforms, requiring public prognostication of job prospects across all sectors to ensure that education seekers are prepared for professions with real employment potential within the state.

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5) A state of emergency in the sphere of Artificial Intelligence: The Constitution includes provisions for declaring a state of emergency in the sphere of AI in case of uncontrolled AI behavior or threats to global security, which adds an additional layer of regulatory oversight and crisis management (Article 18).

 

African Legislative and Policies Dynamics in AI Integration.

In terms of AI adoption in the education sector, we have done an overview of the African Union’s document entitled ‘Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy: Harnessing AI for Africa’s Development and Prosperity,’ dated July 2024 [6]. The document per se aligns with broader digital initiatives such as the African Digital Compact and the Africa Digital Transformation Strategy for 2020-2030. These frameworks aim to leverage AI and digital technologies to drive socio-economic development, enhance digital literacy, and secure the continent’s future in the global digital economy.

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The integration of AI in Africa’s education sector offers both opportunities and challenges. While AI can significantly improve access, quality, and affordability of education, it also presents particular risks. The UNESCO ‘Beijing Consensus on AI and Education’ and its ‘Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research’ emphasize the need for robust regulatory frameworks, including data protection mandates and age restrictions for engaging with Generative AI platforms.

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In line with these guidelines, Africa must navigate the delicate balance between harnessing AI’s potential and mitigating its risks. AI’s role in education should enhance higher-order thinking, support formative assessment, and assist students with disabilities through tailored AI tools. However, the development and implementation of these technologies must be approached with caution, ensuring that they do not compromise educational integrity or infringe on the rights of all actors in educational process.

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As Africa stands on the brink of a demographic transformation, the words, declared during the Africa-Japan Youth Drive, of Gen. Kabarebe James, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Rwanda, resonate deeply with the continent’s aspirations: ‘Africans will represent 25% of humanity, and most of them will be youth, an important factor for strategic investment. We need to leverage this incredible potential by making deliberate investments that will cater for these youth.’

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Accordingly, the role of the recent documents’ overview in this academic paper stands as a prominent beacon in terms of ensuring the support of youth changemakers reiterated during the Africa-Japan Youth Drive in particular.

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Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy: Key Focuses and Objectives:

1. Education and Skills Development: There’s a strong emphasis on enhancing AI education at all levels, starting from basic education to higher learning. The strategy advocates for integrating AI-related subjects such as coding and data science into curricula to prepare youth for future challenges and opportunities posed by AI. 

 

A distinctive feature of one of the initiatives lies in Strategic Approach for Engaging Unemployed Youth in AI. Many educational institutions maintain databases of their alumni, including those who have not seamlessly transitioned into employment. The strategy suggests using these databases to identify individuals who could benefit most from AI training initiatives (e.g., ‘those who await job opportunities but are no longer within a formal or non-formal education system must be considered’), thereby facilitating targeted and effective outreach.

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2. Youth Empowerment: By equipping the youth with relevant AI and technological skills, the strategy aims to foster innovation and ensure young people are at the forefront of the AI revolution. This includes the establishment of more AI research centers and scholarship programs to improve accessibility and affordability of AI education.

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3. Innovation and Local Solutions: The strategy encourages the development of local AI solutions to address specific African challenges. This includes supporting startups and incubation hubs that focus on creating AI applications tailored to local needs, such as agriculture, healthcare, and climate change.

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4. Ethical and Inclusive AI Development: Upholding human dignity, gender equality, and respecting human rights are foundational to the AI strategy. It promotes ethical AI development that avoids biases and respects African cultural values.

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5. AI Safety and Security: Establish robust cybersecurity measures to protect AI systems from unauthorized access and ensure rapid detection and response to any security threats.

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The African Digital Compact significantly enhances our juxtaposition of legislation by enlightening and refining the legal frameworks that govern digital transformation and AI integration across Africa [7]:

1. Information Utilization Skills as Educational Pillars: The curriculum guidelines designate ‘information utilization skills’ as essential competencies foundational to education. This entails an emphasis on the ability of students to effectively leverage information technology in both academic and daily life contexts. Consequently, it is imperative to cultivate a deep understanding of generative AI to augment productivity. This includes comprehending its operational mechanisms and applications within educational settings.

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2. Considerations for Student Development: Generative AI, though offering substantial conveniences, remains in a developmental phase. This technology poses potential risks, such as personal data breaches, copyright violations, misinformation dissemination, and adverse impacts on critical thinking, creativity, and learning motivation. Therefore, the application of generative AI in educational contexts necessitates a careful consideration of students’ developmental stages and maturity.

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3. Strategic Implementation: Initially, the controlled and limited application of generative AI is recommended, allowing for the careful assessment of its effectiveness. In educational institutions where sufficient safeguards against risks are established, pilot projects should be initiated with strict adherence to personal data protection, cybersecurity, and intellectual property laws. These initiatives should be thoroughly evaluated to inform ongoing discussions and future strategies.

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4. Holistic AI Literacy and Teacher Empowerment: As generative AI becomes more prevalent, there is a need for all educational institutions to enhance activities aimed at fostering robust information verification practices, commonly known as fact-checking. Additionally, improving the AI literacy of educators and advancing work style reforms through appropriate AI utilization in teacher training and administrative tasks is essential.

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5. Inclusive Digital Education: Digital literacy and skills must be integrated across all educational levels — primary, secondary, and tertiary — ensuring accessibility and inclusivity, particularly for vulnerable and rural communities.

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6. Lifelong Learning and Upskilling: Continuous learning and upskilling initiatives are vital to keeping the workforce aligned with the dynamic nature of the digital sector. This includes developing specialized skills for potential job reassignments due to digital transformation and the adoption of emerging technologies such as AI and robotics.

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7. Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks. Ensurance of Digital Rights and Privacy: Pillar Nine of the African Digital Compact emphasizes the safeguarding of digital rights and privacy, ensuring the protection of personal and sensitive data within Africa’s digital space. This involves the development of comprehensive data protection legislation and the implementation of privacy by design and by default principles.

 

AI Constitution as an essential blueprint to transition Japanese and African Frameworks into more dynamic and proactive models.

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Structural reconfigurations of labor markets have been consistent in the findings of all four volumes of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Reports and continually signaled the need for fostering future-proof skills [8]. Yet, we may still reiterate that the global lacunae in these terms are substantial and, with each year, are becoming more and more of a daunting task to bridge.

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African and Japanese as well as world educational systems must incorporate tools and curricula that reflect real-time labor market data and forecasts, enabling students to make informed career choices and adapt to market needs.

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While much has been said about the so-called ‘consistent adaptation’ to challenges, involuntary automations, and inevitable layoffs, we’ve already sounded the alarm on the perils of such practices [9].

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The time when firm red lines must be drawn has already come — lines that can never be crossed, for the sake of our shared future and the dignity of all.

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The AI Constitution mandates that states provide public prognostication of professions, ensuring alignment between educational programs and future employment opportunities. This aligns with the need to prepare the workforce for the evolving demands of AI and digital economies.

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Unequivocally, African and Japanese Frameworks strategically keep laser focus on future professions and AI integration in education, inter alia the alignment thereof with future job markets. However, the AI Constitution’s detailed approach to prognostication could help, locally and globally, better anticipate and prepare for the impact of AI on employment, ensuring that educational and vocational training programs are more closely aligned with future labor market needs. Thus, we find the enactment of the following legal provision imperative: ‘As part of the state support program, it is prohibited to train professionals for professions that do not have real employment prospects within the state; such professions may be chosen independently by a person of legal age without guarantees from the state’ (AI Constitution, Article 1.9.3).

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Accordingly, we firmly assert the necessity of emphasizing the following provisions of the AI Constitution, which are uniquely unparalleled and without equivalent:

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‘1.9.1. Digital Legislation establishes prohibitions and quotas for AI to protect the human right to labor and the protection of all human labor activities. The state determines areas of activity in which: human labor is inviolable; human labor can be partially replaced by AI systems, within the limits defined by law; human labor can be fully replaced by AI systems. (Complete substitution of human labor by Artificial Intelligence is permissible in cases where such labor is factually or potentially extremely dangerous to human life and health. The status of extreme danger is determined by humans.)

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1.9.2. The Digital Legislation stipulates the state's obligation to provide social support to people who have suffered losses due to unemployment or income reduction at their workplace resulting from the implementation of AI systems. The state is required to provide such individuals with opportunities for retraining and alternative employment, medical insurance, and financial support commensurate with the income they received prior to job loss resulting from AI deployment, or provide a supplement to the individual's wage up to the level of income that was reduced at the workplace due to the implementation of AI systems.’

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Another focal point that is unprecedented and without analogs globally is Polina Prianykova’s Constitutional Principle also known as AI-friendly Environment Principle. This principle is not just a theoretical ideal but a foundational legal standard that ensures AI systems are integrated into society in a manner that promotes ethical harmony between AI and human beings. In African legislation, it supports the continent’s vision of ethical AI that respects cultural values and drives socio-economic growth. In Japan, it complements the ‘Integrated Innovation Strategy 2024’ by safeguarding human-centric values amid rapid technological advancement. Globally, this principle serves as a universal standard, ensuring AI contributes to peace and stability across diverse societies. Its integration into national and international laws is essential for guiding AI development towards a future where technology and humanity thrive together.

 

Synthesizing the information set above, we may emphasize the fact that this paper has meticulously analyzed the critical intersection of AI legislation within African, Japanese, and global frameworks, demonstrating the paramount importance of integrating principles that not only anticipate but actively shape the future of AI in a manner that aligns with human-centric values.

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The Global AI Center POLLYPRIANY is playing a pivotal role in advancing these discussions, contributing substantively to the evolving discourse on AI legislation and policy. The comprehensive research undertaken by our Institution not only informs but also shapes the trajectory of AI integration across diverse legal landscapes.

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By embedding these innovative legal principles within the broader context of international law, we are paving the way for a future where AI and humanity live harmoniously, fostering both technological advancement and societal well-being.