Africa’s AI moment: From consumption to digital sovereignty
- Karuri-Sebina, Mlambo, Bonami, Malindini, and Ndaka
This discussion took place at the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance.
Africa stands at a crossroads in the global artificial intelligence (AI) economy. The continent is navigating a complex interplay between local development priorities, global geopolitics, and powerful corporate interests shaping the digital landscape. Nowhere is this tension more visible than in the emerging domains of AI and data governance – policy areas that will determine who captures value, who holds power, and whose interests’ technology ultimately serves.
AI is being heralded as the next frontier of productivity and innovation. Yet behind the excitement lies a familiar pattern: Africa once again risks being positioned as a consumer and raw-data supplier rather than a producer and rule-maker. As global corporations consolidate control over data, algorithms, and infrastructure, the continent’s dependence on foreign technologies deepens – echoing earlier extractive economic relationships.
Read the full article as published on the Business Day website.