Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping economies and industries worldwide, but African experts argue that without strategic deployment, the continent risks becoming mere consumers rather than active participants in the AI revolution. At a recent edition of the Toyin Falola Interviews, leading AI researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers emphasized the need for Africa to invest in AI education, infrastructure, and localized applications to harness its full potential for economic and social transformation.
The panel, themed “AI and Africa’s Future,” featured distinguished experts, including Dr. Ilesanmi Adesida, a renowned scientist and former Provost at Nazarbayev University; Professor Conrad Tucker, Director of Carnegie Mellon University-Africa; John Kamara, Founder and CEO of AICE Africa; Professor Omowunmi Sadik, Vice Provost at the New Jersey Institute of Technology; Dr. Moses Asom, a deep-tech entrepreneur; and Dr. Fayé A. Briggs, Founder of Afristec Inc.
Speaking on Africa’s positioning in the global AI space, Dr. Briggs cautioned against over-fixation on developing large-scale AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or China’s DeepSeek, instead emphasizing adaptation and local innovation. “The question is: can we do some training with African datasets? I doubt that because many existing AI systems have undergone extensive training beyond what African datasets currently offer. However, we know that using these tools presents enormous opportunities for Africa—across healthcare, financial services, and education,” he said.
Dr. Briggs highlighted the potential of AI-driven educational tools, explaining how his company, Luna, leverages AI to create localized children’s books, comics, and cartoons. “We can easily generate these products in a short time, allowing more Africans to participate in the educational economy. AI also presents game-changing opportunities in healthcare, where it can enhance diagnoses by consolidating knowledge bases for better insights,” he added.
Education Reform: A Prerequisite for AI Success in Africa
John Kamara stressed that Africa’s AI advancement hinges on overhauling its education system to cultivate a robust pipeline of AI engineers and researchers. “If you want to participate in the global market, you need a critical mass of talent that can do the work. But how do we train practically driven African AI engineers? That has been a big challenge because the landscape has changed completely,” he noted.
Kamara emphasized the urgent need to retrain educators at all levels. “It is difficult for teachers who do not understand AI to train the next generation of experts. Without this foundation, we are simply building sandcastles that will collapse when the tide comes,” he warned. He also called for an audit of Africa’s AI infrastructure, arguing that “many universities in big African cities have computing resources they do not fully utilize. We must first index what we have before seeking external solutions.”
AI and Africa’s Economic Future: Where Do We Stand?Dr. Adesida provided a historical perspective, tracing AI’s origins to Alan Turing’s wartime innovations and highlighting the global investments shaping its future. “The European Union recently committed over €200 billion to AI under the ‘Invest AI for EU’ initiative. China and the US are also investing heavily. Where does Africa stand in this landscape? We must come together to advise our governments on how to engage with this fast-moving technology so that we are not left behind,” he urged.
Professor Tucker reinforced this point, emphasizing that Africa must move beyond being a passive consumer of AI. “AI is not an abstract concept. It involves the hardware, networks, algorithms, and applications solving real-world problems. We need deep-tech education to ensure African students can compete globally and contribute novel AI breakthroughs,” he said.
AI for Industry, Agriculture, and Gender Inclusion
Professor Sadik highlighted AI’s vast potential for scientific and industrial advancements, citing applications in petrochemical industries, agriculture, and biosensors. “AI can help optimize operations in industries like the Dangote Refinery, which processes over 650,000 barrels of crude oil daily. It can also improve predictive maintenance, quality control, and risk management,” she noted.
She also underscored AI’s role in promoting gender inclusion, lamenting the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. “We need mentorship, networking, and proactive efforts to address bias and promote inclusion. Educational initiatives will be key to bridging this gap,” she emphasized.
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