Artificial Intelligence on the African Continent: Possibilities, Conundrums, and Contradictions

The release of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022 was described by some as ‘the shot that was
heard around the world’. The use of such hyperbole to describe digital innovations is now
fairly common. However, few computer scientists would deny that artificial intelligence (AI)
has the potential to have a far-reaching impact on economics, politics, and society. Some
would go so far as to argue that it can pose an existential threat to humanity. AI is, of
course, not new on the continent. It has been applied in different areas, including banking,
agriculture, language translation, and education. Examples include the Masakhane
collective, which is working on Natural Language Processing, and the work of the Makerere
AI Lab, which is developing AI applications that can be used to help small-scale farmers. Big
technology companies like IBM and Google have also established AI labs in different parts of
the continent. On the one hand, this application of AI to everyday problems can open new
possibilities for economic growth and provide new solutions to persistent problems. On the
other, it presents several conundrums. Will AI agents take over jobs that are currently being
done by human beings, and what is the net implication for employment creation? What are
the implications of placing these capabilities in the hands of the government? Are there
sufficient legal and policy safeguards to mitigate the risks posed by AI? AI adoption also
throws into sharp relief the old contradictions around digital media and its promise. Will the
adoption of AI in the context of the wide digital divides in different African countries simply
mean that those who are privileged are able to compound their privilege while the
underprivileged fall further behind? This stream seeks to bring together scholars researching
the diverse ways that artificial intelligence impacts everyday lives on the continent. We
welcome panels and papers that explore different dimensions of this theme and consider
the extent to which AI is generating new possibilities or regenerating old conundrums and
contradictions.

If you would like to discuss a panel or paper proposal or have any questions, please get in
touch with George Karekwaivanane at G.karekwaivanane@ed.ac.uk.