Imagine a world where AI isn’t just a tool for tech giants to amass more power but a collaborative force that uplifts entire communities. Now, picture this world taking shape in Africa, where the constraints of limited resources are turning into catalysts for ingenious solutions. This isn’t a far-fetched dream—it’s a vision of sustainable and collaborative AI innovation that might be the key to transformation across the continent.
Global Landscape
When we examine the global landscape of AI development, a crucial reality emerges: the competition-driven, resource-intensive model of AI innovation prevalent in the global north— tech giants and well-funded startups pouring billions into AI research and development—is not feasible for many emerging economies, particularly in Africa.
For instance, global AI venture capital investment could reach $200 billion by 2025. Historically, a significant portion of this funding has been directed toward establishing large-scale models and the computing infrastructure required to support them. In 2025, American VCs are projected to invest $87.4 billion in AI, more than double the expected investment from China’s AI sector, which is anticipated to be around $40.5 billion.
The mature innovation ecosystems of these countries in the global north allow for prolific, often redundant innovation that pursues multiple paths simultaneously. However, with constraints across all critical inputs to AI systems (data, computing, software, and talent), Africa’s AI ecosystem cannot afford or support a scattershot approach. This is about more than just a lack of funding or technical expertise. It’s about a fundamental mismatch between wealthy nations’ approaches and the realities of economies still building their basic digital infrastructure.
Public AI
However, these constraints might also be the source of a better, more sustainable approach to AI innovation. Embracing Public AI shared goals—promoting public goods, orientation, and use—this ecosystem allows African developers, governments, civil society, development partners, and end users to pursue a radically open and collaborative approach to developing AI systems and applications that can have a significant impact. This approach aligns beautifully with Ethan Mollick’s idea for AI: Everyone needs to be in R&D.
Public AI isn’t just a technical framework; it represents a philosophical shift toward democratizing technology. At its core, Public AI prioritizes accessibility, transparency, and community ownership. Unlike proprietary models that dominate the global market, Public AI initiatives are open-source, collaboratively developed, and community-driven. We’re already seeing examples of this, such as China’s DeepSeek, an open-source AI initiative.
This model holds transformative potential in Africa. It addresses diverse local needs with a commitment to inclusivity and adaptability. Public AI also offers a unique pathway for building an Autonomous AI ecosystem in Africa that remains connected to global value chains.
Africa needs a level playing field that benefits everyone, everywhere. Closing the development gap and developing public AI will expand access to essential capabilities. This shift from competition to collaboration means the public assumes a major role in building these systems, ensuring public access, public accountability, and permanent public goods. These systems must remain permanently accessible and accountable and make the advancement of the common good their central goal.
Learning from DPI
The very challenges that make commercial AI difficult to scale in Africa—such as limited data, infrastructure, and high costs—also make the case for Public AI stronger. Open-source AI platforms allow developers and communities to bypass expensive proprietary models, fostering innovation even in resource-scarce environments.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) serves as a blueprint for establishing foundational, freely accessible, and interoperable tools that broaden access to essential services. By adopting DPI principles, Africa can build a sustainable, inclusive AI ecosystem tailored to local needs. Public AI in Africa could be grounded in publicly accessible infrastructure—such as interoperable data standards and open-source tools—ensuring that AI capabilities benefit sectors across society.
Developer Ecosystem: A cornerstone of public AI is the localization of applications to address region-specific challenges, which requires a thriving developer ecosystem—models, applications, talent, and funding. Brain drain, a common issue for many emerging economies, poses a significant challenge to sustainable development in AI. Local initiatives like Code for Africa and Python Club exemplify how African tech communities can drive localized solutions in collaborative, open-source environments.
To sustain Public AI, Africa needs innovative business models that prioritize collaboration and reduce dependence on external funding. Digital Public Goods (DPGs) like Open Data Kit, Mojaloop, Ushahidi, and OpenG2P offer valuable examples of platforms that operate for social impact. These platforms blend government support with philanthropic funding, demonstrating a collaborative approach to accessible technology. Emulating these models could establish a financially viable Public AI ecosystem that meets essential needs and fosters equitable growth.
Philanthropic funding, particularly in the early stages, can play an essential role in launching Public AI initiatives where investments in Public AI infrastructure projects offer a chance to invest in public sector capacity. However, to avoid dependency, funding agreements should include provisions for preservation and stewardship, enabling projects to operate independently over time. Long-term resilience should be a priority, ensuring that once initial funding is phased out, the infrastructure remains operational and beneficial to its communities.
Compute and Data: Compute resources and data access are foundational for Public AI in Africa, and investing in public computing infrastructure can significantly lower barriers to entry. Public compute clusters strategically located across regions could democratize high-performance computing, allowing local talent to scale AI solutions without reliance on costly proprietary systems. Alongside these clusters, curated, high-quality datasets accessible to developers can enable more accurate and locally relevant AI applications, from healthcare improvements to agricultural insights. Data portability is also essential, allowing seamless data sharing across systems, which fosters public-private partnerships and enhances interoperability across borders. Additionally, establishing model-switching standards would allow developers the flexibility to experiment with various AI models and platforms, supporting a dynamic and innovative AI environment.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides a framework to enable cross-country sharing of data and computing power, enhancing resource accessibility and collaboration. AfCFTA’s support for shared compute facilities and dataset repositories across borders allows economies of scale, reducing costs and making these resources accessible to all. Edge computing complements this regional approach by processing data locally, reducing dependency on centralized data centers, and supporting geographically diverse, remote areas with lower latency. Together with DPI infrastructures—such as digital IDs, payment systems, and data exchange frameworks—these investments in shared computing and data resources can transform Public AI in Africa into a sustainable, collaborative, and resilient ecosystem, creating opportunities for innovation and cross-border cooperation across the continent.
Governance: Governance frameworks are critical to ensure that Public AI serves the public interest responsibly and transparently. The UNDP’s Digital Public Goods safeguards provide an excellent starting point, emphasizing inclusivity, transparency, and accountability. Africa could adapt these safeguards to develop region-specific governance structures, embedding ethical principles and accountability measures to prevent misuse and ensure fairness. Key governance priorities include robust data protection guidelines, promoting inclusivity, and establishing local oversight bodies to handle grievances and maintain public trust in AI systems.
Toward a Sustainable AI Ecosystem
Sustainable, collaborative AI in Africa is not just an alternative to the commercial, closed-loop AI of the global north; it’s an opportunity to redefine what AI can achieve. By investing in Public AI and DPI, African countries can lay the groundwork for an ecosystem that empowers people, embraces open innovation, and serves as a model of AI’s potential to elevate society as a whole. This vision for Public AI in Africa is ambitious, but it is grounded in the continent’s long-standing traditions of community-driven innovation and resilience. With the right investments in infrastructure, talent, and open collaboration, African nations can transform AI from a luxury good into a public good, sparking a new era of inclusive, sustainable development.