AI and Africa: The unexplored frontier of innovation and inclusivity
South Africa's 2025 presidency highlights Africa's AI potential, shifting focus from global policies to local initiatives that aim to close the AI equity gap and promote inclusive digital transformation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity for Africa, a continent experiencing rapid population growth and a burgeoning digital economy. With projections indicating that Africa’s digital economy will reach $180 billion by 2025, AI has the potential to address key challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and education. However, Africa contributes less than 1% of global AI research and development. This is largely owing to challenges such as limited digital infrastructure, skill shortages, funding constraints and fragmented AI policies. As nearly 40% of Africans lack internet access, and AI expertise is concentrated in a few nations, urgent action is needed to bridge the AI divide.
Previous G20 summits have progressively recognised the importance of AI for sustainable development, with South Africa’s 2025 presidency placing a strong emphasis on Africa’s AI potential. Building on earlier declarations, the G20 launched the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence to promote capacity building, ethical governance and private sector engagement in Africa. This marks a shift from global-centric AI policies toward locally driven initiatives aimed at closing the AI equity gap and fostering inclusive digital transformation across the continent.
Challenges to AI development in Africa
AI holds immense potential for Africa, but several obstacles prevent the continent from fully harnessing its benefits. A key challenge is the scarcity of data. AI systems require large amounts of high-quality data, but Africa generates and retains only a fraction of global digital information. Additionally, only 0.02% of internet content is available in African languages, limiting the development of AI models that can serve the continent’s diverse linguistic and cultural needs. This lack of data exacerbates biases in AI systems, hindering the creation of AI applications that are contextually relevant for Africa.
The shortage of skilled AI professionals further restricts innovation. Many African universities lack AI-focused programmes. This talent gap, if left unaddressed, risks seeing Africa become a consumer rather than a producer of AI technologies, deepening the global AI divide.
Moreover, ethical and regulatory challenges pose significant barriers to AI development. Many African countries lack comprehensive AI policies to address issues like data privacy, algorithmic bias and accountability. Without clear governance frameworks, AI systems may be misused or fail to gain public trust, especially in sectors such as law enforcement, healthcare and finance where ethical considerations are paramount.
Funding constraints are another challenge. Many African nations lack the financial resources to support AI research, infrastructure and large-scale deployment. International investments are limited, and the lack of funding stifles the commercialisation of AI solutions. If not implemented inclusively, AI could deepen socio-economic disparities, displacing workers, particularly in low-skilled labour sectors, and increasing unemployment.
Finally, AI models dominated by global languages marginalise African languages. AI services such as voice assistants and automated translation tools often fail to support African languages. African nations also tend to pursue different approaches to AI, weakening regional collaboration and hindering knowledge sharing.
Policy recommendations for the G20 leadership
To unlock Africa’s AI potential, the G20 must play a pivotal role in supporting the continent’s AI development through investment, education and ethical governance. The following policy recommendations are critical for Africa’s AI future.
AI infrastructure development: The G20 should support the establishment of AI cloud computing hubs in Africa. Such hubs would provide affordable access to high-performance computing resources for research and innovation, reducing reliance on foreign servers and addressing data sovereignty concerns. Incentivising private sector investment in renewable energy-powered data centres can make AI adoption more sustainable.
AI talent development: Expanding AI-specific capacity building in Africa is essential. The G20 can collaborate with African universities to establish AI research institutes, fund scholarships and provide training programmes that develop a workforce capable of driving AI innovation. Expanding digital literacy programmes would ensure that AI benefits are widespread and inclusive, enabling greater participation in the digital economy.
Ethical and regulatory governance: The G20 should assist African nations in developing comprehensive AI policies that address ethical concerns, such as data privacy and algorithmic biases. A collaborative approach to creating AI ethics frameworks that include African perspectives will ensure that AI systems are fair, inclusive and aligned with local values.
AI-driven trade and investment partnerships: The G20 can facilitate technology transfer agreements to provide African nations with access to advanced AI tools. Supporting AI-driven trade initiatives would also help African AI startups access international markets and funding, fostering mutually beneficial economic relationships.
Aligning AI strategies with development goals: The G20 should ensure that AI strategies align with Africa’s broader development goals, including those outlined in the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Supporting AI applications that address Africa’s specific needs, such as climate resilience, precision farming and health tech, would foster sustainable development across the continent.
Conclusion
Africa is at the frontier of an AI revolution, yet significant challenges must be overcome to realise its full potential. The G20 has a crucial role in shaping the future of AI in Africa by investing in infrastructure, education and ethical governance. If it acts now, AI can become a powerful tool for economic empowerment, technological inclusion and global innovation. By supporting Africa’s AI ecosystem, the G20 will contribute not only to the continent’s growth but also to the broader goal of equitable digital transformation worldwide.
* The views expressed in T20 blog posts are those of the author/s.
To secure a stable and fruitful future for the G20 as a forum for multilateral agreements and commitments, the goals of the G20 will need to adapt to the recent, dramatic fracturing of geopolitical relations. This piece spells out three ...
The G20 should address reform challenges during South Africa's presidency, as ongoing geopolitical tensions obstruct global cooperation and complicate efforts to revamp the international financial architecture.
The slow recovery from the global financial crisis, growing inequality, the inability of institutions like the World Trade Organization to transform their mandates and rising geopolitical competition all contributed to a gradual loss of faith in multilateralism.
17 Jul 2025
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
Commentary
AI and Africa: The unexplored frontier of innovation and inclusivity
South Africa's 2025 presidency highlights Africa's AI potential, shifting focus from global policies to local initiatives that aim to close the AI equity gap and promote inclusive digital transformation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity for Africa, a continent experiencing rapid population growth and a burgeoning digital economy. With projections indicating that Africa’s digital economy will reach $180 billion by 2025, AI has the potential to address key challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and education. However, Africa contributes less than 1% of global AI research and development. This is largely owing to challenges such as limited digital infrastructure, skill shortages, funding constraints and fragmented AI policies. As nearly 40% of Africans lack internet access, and AI expertise is concentrated in a few nations, urgent action is needed to bridge the AI divide.
Previous G20 summits have progressively recognised the importance of AI for sustainable development, with South Africa’s 2025 presidency placing a strong emphasis on Africa’s AI potential. Building on earlier declarations, the G20 launched the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence to promote capacity building, ethical governance and private sector engagement in Africa. This marks a shift from global-centric AI policies toward locally driven initiatives aimed at closing the AI equity gap and fostering inclusive digital transformation across the continent.
Challenges to AI development in Africa
AI holds immense potential for Africa, but several obstacles prevent the continent from fully harnessing its benefits. A key challenge is the scarcity of data. AI systems require large amounts of high-quality data, but Africa generates and retains only a fraction of global digital information. Additionally, only 0.02% of internet content is available in African languages, limiting the development of AI models that can serve the continent’s diverse linguistic and cultural needs. This lack of data exacerbates biases in AI systems, hindering the creation of AI applications that are contextually relevant for Africa.
The shortage of skilled AI professionals further restricts innovation. Many African universities lack AI-focused programmes. This talent gap, if left unaddressed, risks seeing Africa become a consumer rather than a producer of AI technologies, deepening the global AI divide.
Moreover, ethical and regulatory challenges pose significant barriers to AI development. Many African countries lack comprehensive AI policies to address issues like data privacy, algorithmic bias and accountability. Without clear governance frameworks, AI systems may be misused or fail to gain public trust, especially in sectors such as law enforcement, healthcare and finance where ethical considerations are paramount.
Funding constraints are another challenge. Many African nations lack the financial resources to support AI research, infrastructure and large-scale deployment. International investments are limited, and the lack of funding stifles the commercialisation of AI solutions. If not implemented inclusively, AI could deepen socio-economic disparities, displacing workers, particularly in low-skilled labour sectors, and increasing unemployment.
Finally, AI models dominated by global languages marginalise African languages. AI services such as voice assistants and automated translation tools often fail to support African languages. African nations also tend to pursue different approaches to AI, weakening regional collaboration and hindering knowledge sharing.
Policy recommendations for the G20 leadership
To unlock Africa’s AI potential, the G20 must play a pivotal role in supporting the continent’s AI development through investment, education and ethical governance. The following policy recommendations are critical for Africa’s AI future.
Conclusion
Africa is at the frontier of an AI revolution, yet significant challenges must be overcome to realise its full potential. The G20 has a crucial role in shaping the future of AI in Africa by investing in infrastructure, education and ethical governance. If it acts now, AI can become a powerful tool for economic empowerment, technological inclusion and global innovation. By supporting Africa’s AI ecosystem, the G20 will contribute not only to the continent’s growth but also to the broader goal of equitable digital transformation worldwide.
* The views expressed in T20 blog posts are those of the author/s.
21 Jul 2025
Task Force
Keywords
Author/s
More articles
Revisiting G20 policymaking under fractured geopolitics
To secure a stable and fruitful future for the G20 as a forum for multilateral agreements and commitments, the goals of the G20 will need to adapt to the recent, dramatic fracturing of geopolitical relations. This piece spells out three ...
Proposals for reforming the international financial architecture in a polarised world
The G20 should address reform challenges during South Africa's presidency, as ongoing geopolitical tensions obstruct global cooperation and complicate efforts to revamp the international financial architecture.
The quiet disruption: Trade, multilateralism and the reconfiguration of global cooperation
The slow recovery from the global financial crisis, growing inequality, the inability of institutions like the World Trade Organization to transform their mandates and rising geopolitical competition all contributed to a gradual loss of faith in multilateralism.