AI in Africa
June 30, 2025 | Article
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Authors
Tendai Murisa
Do we understand its potential (for democracy and economic growth)?
Much has been written about the potential of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-led society-wide transformation and in some cases revolution. It has been touted by many as potentially transformative and with the capacity to radicalise how society is organised. However, what kind of progress do we anticipate from AI? To the majority of us, our interaction with AI is through free-access-based platforms such as DeepSeek, WhatsApp’s Meta, ChatGPT and others. Yet there is a lot more to AI than we have yet to understand. I am no expert on AI, and my entry point into this discussion is to bring a non-expert voice to the subject. My interest in this subject is in relation to how AI potentially contributes towards Africa’s quest for democracy and economic transformation. The concerns for democracy and progress in our economy are urgent across the continent. Africa is at some form of a crossroads – whether to deepen or undo democratisation, and on the other hand, to give up on the development project or pursue a different path. AI may play an important role in determining the path Africa will pursue. Do we know much about AI? A few of us might, but the majority do not know about the technology-based revolution that awaits us in both political and economic spheres. As already stated, there is vast literature on the potential of AI, and I have deliberately decided to focus more on the potential challenges it presents.
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