The democratization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa is in its infancy, albeit gaining momentum, with an increasing number of public and private organizations taking significant strides. Nonetheless, fostering consistent collaboration and partnership among key stakeholders, including the governments, private sectors, policymakers, think tanks, academia, and others, is imperative. By aligning their efforts, Africa holds promising prospects for bridging the gap, harnessing AI’s full potential, and regulating its usage, thus keeping pace with global advancements.

In 2022, the Republic of Congo achieved a significant milestone by establishing ARCAI, the first African AI research center. This accomplishment stands as a testament to the collective endeavors of crucial stakeholders. By establishing this center, the country positions itself as a central regional hub for development in AI. The primary objectives of ARCAI are to provide technical education and skills, foster job creation, bridge the digital divide, promote inclusive economic growth, and ensure Africa’s sovereignty over modern digital tools. This significant achievement results from a fruitful collaboration between the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), its partners, and the Congolese Government.[i]

The Africa Intelligence For Development Africa (AI4D) has been a significant player since its creation in 2020 by initiating AI4D Labs in collaboration with various public universities, which are designed to help research and implement reliable AI solutions that help tackle development challenges.[ii] These include the AI for Development research lab in Anglophone Africa, birthed from a collaboration between the University of Dodoma and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology in Tanzania[iii]. 

The interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Development (CITADEL) came from a collaboration between Burkina Faso Virtual University and Open Burkina, and it fills an essential gap in AI academic literature and resources available to scholars in Francophone Africa[iv]. And finally, the Responsible AI Lab (RAIL) in Ghana, housed at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and co-funded by the German Agency for International Cooperation, engages in AI research and innovation that responds to capacity requirements of the public and private sector.[v]

Furthermore, the African Observatory on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (the African Observatory) was established in 2022. This was due to a joint effort of the Policy Action Network (PAN), Research ICT Africa, and the International Development Research Centre[vi]. This significant organization focuses on how AI is developed, used, and governed in Africa and globally. The African Observatory focuses on the foundational elements of inclusive and responsible AI governance, particularly in Africa’s (pre/post) colonial memory and in the context of our diverse democratic, constitutional, and legal accountability mechanisms.[vii]

The African Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) recently convened African Artificial Intelligence experts at another Writing Workshop in Kigali, Rwanda, from February 27 to March 3, 2023, to finalize the drafting of the African Union Artificial Intelligence (AU-AI) Continental Strategy for Africa after the previously held convention in Senegal 2022. Following this workshop, the draft strategy shall be submitted to AU Member States for review and validation to sustain ownership, after which a continentally adopted version shall be launched at the January 2024 AU Summit by Africa’s Heads of State and Government.[viii]

Smart Africa created an AI working group with experts from Member States, the private sector, international organizations, academia, and entrepreneurs, to guide the development of an AI blueprint for Africa. This AI Blueprint lays the foundation for developing an AI strategy and presents critical elements and considerations for formulating such. The Republic of South Africa, one of the Smart Africa Member States, has committed to championing the development of this blueprint as part of their flagship project, “4th Industrial Revolution: innovation and artificial intelligence,” within the Alliance. [ix]

These noteworthy collaborations among diverse stakeholders bring forth a crucial question regarding the readiness of Africa to enact AI legislation to enhance and govern its usage effectively. Techcabal reported that the pace of AI regulation in Africa is currently slow. Africa may need to be more mature to have comprehensive AI regulation like the EU due to a lack of technological advancement compared to developed nations.

 In addition, the importance of focusing on policies that guide AI development and reflect the continent’s unique realities and future aspirations, and the need for African governments to gain a deep understanding of the technology before enacting legislation.[x]