Africa and AI- A tale of two disparate worlds

The AI craze has taken the world by storm in recent years, so many transformations and innovations have been made across various industries from manufacturing to health. AI is clearly here to stay and promises a lot more innovations to make life more efficient.

However, as the rest of the world glides into this phenomenon, where does Africa stand in all this? Often misinterpreted as one country (much to our chagrin), it is in actual fact a multi-faceted dynamic continent of 54 nations each with different cultures, languages and stories. At its core is a youthful, vibrant population full of unexplored aptitude.

The adoption and full utilisation of AI on the continent is a complex issue which exposes the two disparate worlds that exist within majority of these countries. On the one end is the enlightened elite and digitally exposed with access to various devices and already engaging with some of the limitless AI tools. On the other end lies the marginalised marjority still grappling with access to electricity, water, basic education and reliable internet connectivity. A considerable number of those in this group do not even own a smartphone. This disparity invokes the question; will AI in Africa be a tool which fosters inclusion or one which will dangerously widen the existing inequality gap?

All things being equal, AI has the potential to bring innovative solutions to a number of uniquely African problems especially in agriculture, education and healthcare. The youthful population in Africa can be a huge asset, with adequate training, they can be instrumental in developing AI systems suitable for their communities. The returnees and western educated professionals can also play a major role in capacity building.

In order for AI to be fully transformative in Africa, a lot of collaboration will be required at various levels. Governments, regional bodies, the private sector actors, entrepreneurs and the tech experts must work together to map a way forward which will yield sustainable results. This collaboration will ultimately determine the trajectory of AI in years to come on the continent.

A major concern is that AI could potentially widen the digital gap which already exists in many African countries. Those who have little or no access to electricity or internet connectivity will be left behind, perpetuating a never-ending cycle of poverty and exclusion. To prevent this, inclusive infrastructure must be prioritised by providing constant electricity supply, reliable internet connectivity and affordable devices. This will go a long way in trying to bridge the disparity. Outreach programs to the areas with the most affected population might help to understand the extent of the gap and the issues to address in order for these people to not be left behind.

It is also crucial that there is sufficient education on data collection and its uses in these communities, so that people fully know what their data is being collected for and also the data protection regulations which benefit them to avoid data exploitation and ensure informed consent. If there is no deliberate inclusion at grassroots level, AI will just be for the ‘privileged’ ones only and this would be regrettable.

If Africa is able to develop its own AI tools, this will remove the language barriers currently prevalent with AI. Many AI systems operate in English and other dominant global languages. If Africans develop their own AI tools, in their own languages, they will be easily relatable and accessible. Imagine an AI assistant which understands Shona, Kinyarwanda or Nyanja for example. Having relatable, context aware AI tools would not only improve on accessibility but also on preserving our indigenous languages which might be left behind in this digital age.

If utilised ethically and intentionally on the continent, AI could do more good than harm. It also has the potential to bring sustainable solutions to food security, mental health support and language preservation through various transformations across industries like agriculture, health, education and many more. This way, AI would have become a tool for inclusion and growth, not one for fuurther marginalisation.