TLDR: The 2025 ISACA Harare Chapter Annual Conference in Victoria Falls highlighted the critical need for organizations to implement strong AI governance frameworks. Experts stressed the importance of separating governance and management roles in AI initiatives to ensure responsible innovation and mitigate risks, citing examples like Amazon’s biased AI tools and Samsung’s data leaks.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Harare Chapter recently concluded its 2025 Annual Conference in Victoria Falls, issuing a resounding call for organizations to establish robust governance and management frameworks for their Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives. The conference, held under the theme ‘Securing the Future: Zero Trust and Privacy in a Borderless Digital Era,’ brought together a diverse group of digital trust professionals.
Mr. Godwill Chihwayi, the Chapter President, officially opened the conference, noting the significant growth of the Harare Chapter to 530 members. This expansion, he emphasized, underscores the increasing importance of IT governance, risk, and security within Zimbabwe’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
A central focus of the conference was the responsible adoption of AI. Globally recognized governance expert, Mr. Mark Thomas, delivered a compelling address on the opportunities and inherent perils of AI. Mr. Thomas provided a clear framework for action, stressing that the cornerstone of responsible AI adoption lies in a distinct separation of roles between governance and management.
“Governance evaluates stakeholder needs, conditions and options. It determines balanced, agreed-on enterprise objectives and sets direction through prioritisation and decision-making. It is the responsibility of the board of directors,” Mr. Thomas stated. He further elaborated by contrasting this with the role of management, which is tasked with planning, building, running, and monitoring activities that align with the strategic direction set by the governance body to achieve enterprise objectives.
To illustrate the critical nature of effective AI governance, Mr. Thomas presented real-world case studies. He highlighted cautionary tales such as Amazon’s AI tools being scrapped due to inherent biases and data leaks experienced by Samsung. Conversely, he also shared success stories from companies like UPS and Pfizer, demonstrating the positive impact of well-governed AI implementation. Mr. Thomas issued a stark warning: without a structured approach utilizing established frameworks like COBIT, NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework, and the new EU AI Act, organizations risk significant ethical, financial, and reputational damage.
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The conference served as a crucial platform for Zimbabwe’s IT leaders, providing them with essential knowledge and strategies to navigate the complex and rapidly evolving AI landscape responsibly.
