Article by Bitange Ndemo and Marine Ragnet: ” Kenya has become a technological centre for East Africa and is often referred to as the “Silicon Savannah.” Its AI-focused startups are turning the country into a poster child for developmental leapfrogging in the Global South. However, a more fundamental concern is that future AI advancements in the country are aimed toward local inclusivity and local ownership, rather than outsourcing to foreign actors.
AI has the potential to transform agriculture, finance, healthcare, and education. From yield-enhancing precision farming tools to AI-powered credit scoring for underserved populations, AI is transforming the social and economic landscape in Kenya. The problem, however, is that a disparity exists. Rural populations lag in comparison to their urban counterparts, which widens inequality. Gender inequality, coupled with a lack of skilled professionals, makes building a domestic AI ecosystem very difficult.
Existing AI systems are often made with foreign cultures and values embedded in their code, and because of this, AI will never work seamlessly with the local context. Moreover, with the vast amounts of data that Kenyan citizens generate, monetization and control are often in the hands of foreign companies. This form of “digital colonization” is a major threat to Kenya’s autonomy.
Increasingly, AI sovereignty is becoming a major issue necessitating calls for a strategy to protect the nation’s “technological growth,” ensuring inclusivity and effectively serving the local needs. This requires a comprehensive approach that combines community innovation, skill-building, governance, and investment in infrastructure…(More)”.
