ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INCREASES ZRA REVENUE COLLECTION BY 60 PERCENT
Technology and Science Minister Hon. Felix Mutati has disclosed that the utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)’s capacity to collect revenue by 60 percent in the past two years.
Mr. Mutati says AI has given the ZRA more tools to increase revenue collection and tax compliance.
Speaking when he delivered a lecture on Artificial Intelligence at the University of Lusaka Silverest Campus in Chongwe District this morning, Mr. Mutati said AI has come to stay and Zambians must embrace it.
He said Artificial Intelligence has many benefits which will help in areas such as justice, business, security and agriculture.
“AI will help in the dispensation of justice by ensuring that those who do not understand English, AI gadgets will translate court proceedings and no one will go to jail for not understanding English,” said Mr. Mutati.
He also disclosed that AI tools are also able to help the country predict adverse weather conditions and plan for such challenges such as floods and droughts.
And the Technology and Science Minister has disclosed that the country has finished connecting seven of its eight neighbors to fibre optic.
Mr. Mutati says the last country remaining to be connected is Mozambique which will be connected by the end of June.
He says the connection of Zambia to all it’s eight neighbors is aimed at improving digital connectivity and providing a conducive environment for business and commerce to thrive.
And Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Dingani Banda says Artificial Intelligence has helped in automatic fraud detection.
Mr. Banda says ZRA is able to analyse importers and exporters online and detect fraud faster than a human can do.
He says an Artificial Intelligence Unit has been set up at ZRA headquarters and it is staffed by very competent Zambians.
Meanwhile, University of Lusaka Vice Chancellor Professor Pinalo Chifwanikeni said Zambia must come up with short, medium and long term measures in the implementation of Artificial Intelligence.
Professor Chifwanikeni says the New Dawn Government’s agenda is very clear that AI will help in various sectors such as energy and agriculture.