The global AI race is accelerating, with China’s rapid advancements reshaping AI innovation. As we explored in “How China’s AI Leap is Reshaping Global Innovation—and What It Means for Africa,” this shift has profound implications for the continent. However, the challenge runs deeper than the rise of continental powers’ AI. The governance, development, and deployment of artificial intelligence remain concentrated in the Global North, sidelining Africa’s potential and reinforcing economic, political, and cultural disparities.

To avoid being relegated to the role of passive consumer in this AI-driven future, Africa must take bold steps to reclaim its agency. This means fostering AI innovation rooted in African realities, demanding fair representation in global governance, and ensuring that AI serves as a tool for empowerment rather than exploitation.

The current AI development model resembles a modern form of resource extraction except instead of minerals or oil, the resource being mined is data. African societies generate vast amounts of personal, cultural, and economic data, much of which is exported to fuel AI models trained in the Global North. Yet, the benefits of this extraction are rarely returned to the people and communities from which the data originates.

This one-sided arrangement has far-reaching consequences:

• Economic Dependency: Without localised AI industries, Africa remains dependent on foreign technology and expertise.
• Limited Innovation: The absence of African-led AI development means global models fail to address the continent’s unique challenges.
• Data Exploitation: The lack of robust data governance leaves African citizens vulnerable to privacy violations and unethical use of their information.

Africa must assert control over its data economy and ensure that AI development benefits its people rather than reinforcing structural inequalities. This requires strong regulatory frameworks, ethical data-sharing agreements, and investment in homegrown AI ecosystems.

Reclaiming Sovereignty in AI Governance

AI is shaping the future of governance, security, and economic policy. Yet, Africa remains largely excluded from major AI standard-setting bodies and policy discussions. Without a seat at the table, the continent risks having AI regulations imposed upon it—rules that may not reflect local values, realities, or interests.

Three urgent steps are needed to correct this imbalance:

• Advocacy for Inclusion in Global AI Policy Discussions: African nations must push for representation in international AI governance bodies, ensuring their concerns and priorities are reflected in global standards.
• Regional AI Governance Frameworks: The African Union and regional blocs like ECOWAS and SADC should push for AI policies that prioritise robust data governance, human rights protections, and equitable AI development.
• Strategic AI Partnerships: African nations should build alliances with emerging AI powers while fostering homegrown collaborations to drive an independent AI agenda.

Decolonizing AI: Representation and Cultural Preservation

One of AI’s most insidious risks is its potential to erase linguistic and cultural diversity. Most AI models are trained on predominantly Western datasets, reinforcing English and other dominant languages while neglecting Africa’s rich linguistic landscape. This digital marginalisation has real-world consequences: entire populations may be excluded from AI-driven services, and indigenous knowledge systems risk being erased from future AI-generated narratives.

To counter this trend, Africa must prioritize:

• AI models trained on African languages: Investing in NLP (natural language processing) initiatives that support Indigenous languages, such as Khaya AI and YarnGPT, ensures greater accessibility and digital inclusion.
• Culturally aware AI applications: Developing AI that understands local contexts, customs, and decision-making frameworks will prevent biased outcomes and enhance user trust.
• Knowledge sovereignty: African AI research must be centred on preserving and amplifying indigenous knowledge systems, ensuring they are not merely extracted and repackaged by foreign entities.

Mitigating AI’s Economic and Social Risks

While AI presents immense opportunities, it also carries significant risks—particularly for economies heavily reliant on labour-intensive industries. AI-driven automation threatens to displace millions of workers in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and customer service. If Africa does not proactively address these challenges, the continent could face widespread economic destabilization.

A forward-looking AI strategy for Africa must be proactive, inclusive, and centred on sustainable economic growth. The following key components are critical:

• AI-Driven Job Creation Programs: Rather than allowing AI to replace human labor, African nations should prioritise AI applications that complement and enhance existing jobs. AI-driven solutions in precision agriculture, telemedicine, and digital finance can create new employment opportunities while boosting productivity and efficiency across sectors.
• Skills Training and Upskilling Initiatives: AI literacy is crucial for ensuring Africa’s workforce remains competitive in the evolving digital economy. Governments, educational institutions, and private sector leaders must collaborate to provide training programs in machine learning, data science, and AI ethics. Vocational training should also focus on developing AI-related soft skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability.
• Ethical and Responsible AI Frameworks: The deployment of AI in Africa must align with ethical principles that protect human rights, promote transparency, and mitigate bias. African nations must develop AI regulations that safeguard against discriminatory algorithms, ensure data privacy, and establish mechanisms for algorithmic accountability. Collaborating with international AI governance bodies will help shape policies that align with Africa’s interests.
• Entrepreneurial Support for AI Startups: Encouraging AI-focused entrepreneurship is essential for fostering local innovation. African governments should establish AI innovation hubs, provide grants and venture capital support, and create regulatory environments that facilitate the growth of homegrown AI startups. This will enable African innovators to develop AI-driven solutions tailored to the continent’s unique challenges.
• Social Protections Against AI-Driven Displacement: Proactive policies must be established to prevent mass unemployment and economic instability. Governments should implement unemployment insurance programs, reskilling initiatives, and support structures for workers transitioning into AI-integrated industries. Social safety nets must be designed to ensure that economic benefits from AI advancements are equitably distributed.
• AI for Inclusive Development: AI should be leveraged to address Africa’s pressing social challenges. From enhancing access to quality education through AI-powered tutoring to using AI-driven analytics for public health interventions, African nations must integrate AI into national development strategies. Policies should ensure that AI systems are designed and implemented in ways that reduce inequalities rather than exacerbate them

A forward-looking AI strategy that prioritises job creation, education, innovation, social protections, and ethical AI governance, Africa can harness AI’s transformative potential while safeguarding against its risks. AI should be seen not as a threat but as a catalyst for economic growth, development, and global competitiveness.

Building Africa’s AI Future Through Collaboration

Africa cannot navigate the AI revolution alone. Strategic alliances both within the continent and globally are crucial to ensuring Africa’s voice is heard and its AI ambitions realised. This includes:

• Establishing AI centres of excellence that bring together researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from across Africa.
• Partnering with nations states that share Africa’s concerns about digital sovereignty and ethical AI.
• Encouraging investment from African tech firms, startups, and universities to drive local AI innovation.

Final Thoughts

The AI race is not just about technological advancement is about shaping the future of economies, governance, and cultural narratives. Africa must take decisive steps to avoid being sidelined in this transformation. From demanding fair representation in AI governance to building homegrown AI industries, Africa’s future must be driven by its vision, not dictated by external forces. The world is at an inflexion point, and Africa has an opportunity to lead a more just, inclusive, and representative AI revolution.

The question is no longer whether Africa should participate in the AI revolution, it is whether it will lead the charge