What is the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa?
When this question was fed into AI platform ChatGPT, its response was that it has “huge potential for transformative impact in a variety of sectors,” particularly healthcare, agriculture, and education.
Human experts tend to agree with this statement, and AI is quickly becoming the latest frontier in the competition between the United States and China on the continent.
“In order to advance AI research and innovation, African countries need to make significant investments in computing infrastructure,” noted Chinasa T. Okolo, a fellow at the Center for Technology Innovation at The Brookings Institution. “The United States and China have the potential to be great partners to help these initiatives.”
Okolo said researchers predict that AI companies will run out of data in English and Western languages in the coming years, but this is not the case in Africa, where more data is still needed.
“Therefore, by investing in Africa, companies from AI superpowers such as the United States and China will gain valuable data that they can use to build services and systems and then sell back to African countries,” she said.
South Africa’s AI Momentum
One country on the continent that is rapidly pursuing AI is South Africa.
At the AI in Government Summit in April, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele said: “The era of generative AI has just begun and as a country and a continent we cannot and must not allow ourselves to fall behind.”
South Africa has established the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa (AIISA) and is rolling out research “hubs” at universities across the country.
“We established the AIISA to ensure that all sectors benefit from AI. Through AIISA, we now have AI hubs in manufacturing and services, agriculture, automotive and transport, and military and defence. There are plans to introduce more sectors into the AI framework,” Hitekani Magwedze, a spokesperson for the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, told VOA.
“South Africa has global partnerships with major countries such as the United States and China under the G20 and BRICS frameworks. These major countries see South Africa as a gateway into the agenda of Africa and the developing world,” he added.
Magwedze said AI could help address unemployment, inequality and poverty in South Africa.
In May, Tshwane University of Technology will launch a new AI Career Tech Center in partnership with U.S. tech giant Intel.
“So AI centers across the country are working with strong partners in the international community to achieve the goals of the AI Institute,” said Anish Kurien, acting director of the university’s AI Research Center.
Earlier this month, South Africa’s Department of Defense launched a defense AI research unit at the country’s military academy.
“Africa needs solutions to African challenges, and AI brings (Fourth Industrial Revolution) technological capabilities that will play a role in solving many of the social problems facing our beloved continent,” Wayne Dalton, deputy director of the new research unit, told VOA.
When asked about U.S. and Chinese involvement, Dalton said “South Africa’s AI strategy and goals are in their infancy,” but “there will be many opportunities for the U.S. and China to help us achieve them.” South Africa’s
growing interest in AI, according to a new Gallup report released in April, has seen an increase in public opinion in favor of China and a slight decrease in favor of the U.S.
Okoro said the trend in public opinion may not necessarily apply to cooperation on AI, and African countries will work with parties that can provide the most value.
“While the U.S. government has provided a lot of aid to African countries, China has taken a different approach and is leading in infrastructure investment, which will become increasingly important as African countries aim to strengthen their telecommunications and data infrastructure,” she said.
U.S.-China Interest in Africa
The United States is already investing in AI in Africa. Silicon Valley giant Google opened its first AI lab in Ghana, while IBM has research facilities in Kenya and South Africa.
At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s business summit in Nairobi last month, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced a partnership that will enable U.S. companies to invest in AI and data centers in Kenya.
Lisa Walker, managing director of African operations at Prosper Africa, a U.S. government trade initiative, told VOA that the organization is advancing partnerships under President Joe Biden’s “Digital Transformation with Africa” strategy.
“Prosper Africa launched the African Technology Trade Alliance in April last year. Today, the alliance has 24 private sector partners, including industry leaders such as Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Intel, Cisco Systems, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, UPS, DHL, FedEx, and others,” she said.
China has also taken an interest in AI in Africa. For more than a decade, China has been investing in internet infrastructure and connectivity on the continent through President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
In April, the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held in Xiamen, on China’s southeastern coast, with representatives from about 20 African countries in attendance.
“Africa is an important player in scientific and technological progress. The development and application of artificial intelligence is of great significance to the vast developing countries, including China and
African countries,” Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA. Regarding the competition between China and the United States in the field of artificial intelligence, Liu Pengyu said: “China is willing to communicate, exchange and conduct pragmatic cooperation with all parties, including Africa and the United States, on the global governance of artificial intelligence to ensure that artificial intelligence always develops in the direction of human civilization and progress.” “
In their meeting in San Francisco last year and their recent call, the two heads of state agreed to promote cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, and the two sides will soon hold their first intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence,” Liu Pengyu continued.
When asked about the US-China competition, Walker of Prosper Africa had a different view. She said that American companies have “unparalleled brand value.”
“What distinguishes American technology companies from their international competitors is the focus on common growth, local job creation and shared prosperity,” she said.
However, Okoro, a fellow at the Brooking Institution, is more pessimistic about US and Chinese involvement in African affairs.
“While I see growing interest from both the U.S. and China in Africa, I believe it is difficult to say how much of a specific interest these countries have in working with African countries to advance AI innovation.”
“While U.S. and Chinese researchers often collaborate with each other in academic AI research, these countries themselves are competing to be leaders in the ‘AI race,'” she said.
According to the recent AI Index report released by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered AI, the U.S. was the leading source of top computer programs known as AI models last year, with 61, while China had just 15. However, the report found that China led the world in AI patents with 61.1%, while the U.S. accounted for only 20% of AI patents.