A professor in Information Systems at the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Richard Boateng has called for the creation of a specialised “AI policing” unit to combat the rising threats of digital misinformation, deepfakes and online fraud as artificial intelligence becomes more widely used across Ghana.
Prof. Boateng, who is co-author of the AI Innovations: Shaping the Future book series, made the call on the sidelines of the launch of the four-part AI publication at the Cedi Conference Centre of the University of Ghana.
He warned that while AI offers enormous benefits to society, it is increasingly being misused to generate false content and manipulate public opinion.
“People can sit on AI to generate stories that are not even true,” he cautioned.
To counter the growing threat, he proposed the establishment of an AI policing unit within either the Media Commission or the Ghana Police Service, stressing that the proposed body should not be punitive but preventive.
“AI policing is needed now; not to arrest people, but to know where we shouldn’t go,” he said.
According to him, such a unit would play a regulatory and monitoring role by tracking AI misuse, flagging misinformation and helping to protect the public from emerging digital risks.
He explained that the intention was not to stifle creativity or innovation but to ensure responsible use of AI technology in both public and private spaces.
Prof. Boateng also revealed that his research team is developing a new book on artificial intelligence in healthcare, with interviews already underway among doctors and patients to document how AI tools are transforming medical practice.
He said the research spans AI-assisted diagnostics, clinical decision-making and patient-facing applications that are increasingly being adopted in hospitals.
In the education sector, Prof. Boateng disclosed that AI-powered interactive textbooks are being piloted in primary schools in Kumasi to improve mathematics and comprehension outcomes.
According to him, AI enables teachers to vary instruction methods while allowing children to engage with lessons through familiar cultural narratives.
“Sometimes I tell the AI to give the lesson in Ghanaian folklore using Kweku Ananse,” he said, explaining that children relate better to local stories than foreign contexts.
He noted that these culturally grounded approaches help learners grasp difficult concepts more easily, while strengthening local identity through digital platforms.
However, he warned that the same tools that make AI powerful can also be exploited for harmful purposes, making state oversight increasingly necessary.
