AI & African Enterprises: November 2024 Newsletter
Newsletter originally published November 25, 2024
🌍 African Union's Continental AI Strategy
The African Union (AU) presented its "landmark" Continental AI Strategy to a convention of 130 ministers in June 2024. The strategy represents the AU's vision for AI in Africa, an African digital compact to drive Africa's development and inclusive growth; the African Union Executive Council endorsed the strategy in July 2024.
Source: African Union
The scope of the AU's AI strategy builds on a history of AU technology policy, including the AU's Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2023) and Agenda 2063. The AU's strategy provides a regional framework for AI, with the aim of bridging gaps in member states' national frameworks, and is in keeping with similar proposals including the EU's AI Act (2024), the Association of East Asian Nations Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (2024), and the Santiago Declaration (2023) providing an AI framework for 20 countries across Latin America and the Carribean.
A Closer Look
The AU's continental AI strategy focuses on 5 themes, with the ultimate aim of advancing adoption, regulation and development of AI in Africa:
Harnessing AI's benefits
Building AI capabilities, focus on infrastructure, education and R&D
Minimizing risks through governance
Stimulating investment
Fostering cooperation
Borrowing Trumpian language, the AU adopts "Local First" ethos as a guiding principle, prioritizing AI developed in Africa by African institutions. The strategy also prioritizes participating in global dialogue around AI governance to ensure external solutions are localized for the African market. Additional guiding principles include supporting AI that is people centred, supports human rights and dignity, encourages peace and prosperity, inclusion and diversity, fosters cooperation and integration, and enhances skills development while also addressing misinformation.