Meet Kuda Musasiwa and the African AI bots, DanAI.chat and ZivAi
Kuda Musasiwa’s desire to create an authentic, homegrown African AI is putting the Zimbabwean diaspora and the local computing community on the map. Did you know that aliens landed in Zimbabwe in 1994? Check out the Ariel School incident to find out about the most compelling close extraterrestrial encounter on the continent. But just a few years before the offworld visitors came to his country, a young expatriate Zimbo was feeling a little like an alien himself. That was Kuda Musasiwa, who would later become the creator of the first pan-African AI bot. In the late 80’s, Musasiwa was bundled up by his computer scientist father and taken off to Australia where his father was studying. Musasiwa ended up in a local Catholic school and remembers quite well the feeling of being the “only black kid in an all-white environment.” At one point, the parents of the other children protested Kuda’s attending swimming lessons with their kids. He ended up splashing around in the pool on his own, until Jody, a red-headed classmate, jumped in the water and broke the apartheid. “I always default to that memory because I saw the power of one person defying the rules. She was my Rosa Parks!” Musasiwa said. It was in Australia that Musasiwa would have his eureka moment after switching on his father’s Amstrad, learning prompts, MS DOS, and running GW BASIC. Then came a Macintosh, on which he programmed his own versions of Pong and learned to write and debug code by trying and doing. Like his father had done in Australia, he would later earn an MSc in Computer Science–at City, University of London. Before creating ZivAi, Musasiwa tried out quite a few things. His first foray into fostering a community to unite Zimbabweans across the diaspora was with his website, blaz.co.uk. Musasiwa regrets never taking advantage of how much this platform grew. “This really grew exponentially. We used to share the files we would talk about in the forums… sadly we never monetized it.” After the dotcom bubble burst, Musasiwa and his peers created an HTML program called Checkmate, which could indicate when their contacts were online on AOL, MSN messenger, or ICQ, and more. In all his forays into the digital world, Musasiwa never lost sight of his major focus: the importance of the Zimbabwean diaspora and the local computing community. Twenty years and many startup projects (including a fresh food delivery company, Fresh In A Box) later, Musasiwa found himself confronting a situation that would eventually stimulate the birth of ZivAi. The original inspiration came from a desire to create an authentic, homegrown African AI. Young techies and digital learners in Zimbabwe have long suffered from a lack of access to basic payment channels like PayPal and Stripe; likewise, other newer tools of interest like ChatGPT often elude them. Musasiwa views this lack of access as unfair. As a permanent resident of the United Kingdom, Musasiwa had realized years before that he could use his own access to payment channels as a means to bridge the gap for younger techies back in his home country. The vision of expanding access to information is captured in the name ZivAi, which is inspired by Musasiwa’s brother’s name, which means ‘Acquire Knowledge’ in Shona. Musasiwa therefore created ZivAi to meet specific needs in Zimbabwe. Despite the impressive skills of the Zimbabwean youth, the economic conditions are such that this potential is in danger of being smothered. A hyperinflationary environment, sanctions and other barriers all mean that even funds from Zimbabweans in the diaspora struggle to make their way into the hands of those who need them–and if they do, remittance companies apply especially punishing costs. Within this context, setting up efficient payment channels and creating a chatbot to assist commercial vendors made a great deal of sense to Musasiwa. Though ZivAi incorporates an image generator and plenty of flamboyant UX, these are its major priorities. The ZivAi and the Danai.chat (pan-African) models are cobbled together from smaller open-source models and the “work of the giants,” in Musasiwa’s words. The ZivAi team also recently began to use Azure Open Source. Most functionality is in English and French, but according to Musasiwa, that will change. “We want to build sovereignty bit-by-bit,” he explained. At present, the off-chat layer is being laid down, and the question that the team asks through the process is: ‘Is this good enough for a child in a rural area to be able to converse with and do things with?’ The layer should be able to explain enough to local youngsters in their own languages to support them in doing their homework, at the very least, says the founder This underscores the tricky process of feeding the LLM African languages, first in terms of queries and responses, and hopefully later in much larger chunks of natural language. Facebook’s Meta has stored up a vast database of Shona and other languages, which it uses for AI-powered translation. That forms an excellent possibility to train the ZivAi model to speak naturally in African tongues, which will mean negotiating access to the datasets. As exciting as it sounds, Musasiwa says that his team “knows damn well that we are not important enough to get the attention of the Big Boys. We will spearhead everything ourselves.” Interestingly, ZivAi is not Kuda’s first iteration of an AI: Shandu and Lucy (the latter named after the ‘First Human’ which remains unearthed in Africa) were earlier bots that laid the groundwork, and ultimately led to the creation of the AfricAi Project. Shandu (which means ‘Change’ in Shona) was a chatbot created for a political campaign, while Lucy was applied as customer service support. Both were based on open-source models available in 2018. Shandu’s candidate was unsuccessful in the elections, but during the pandemic, Lucy came in handy when Fresh In A Box–the fresh produce delivery startup Musasiwa co-founded with his wife–faced thousands of queries. But neither Lucy nor Shandu had capacities like the LLMs
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7 conditions to apply for Twitter X monetisation 2023
The internet has been in a buzz since Elon Musk’s Twitter X executed its broadened creator monetisation program by including a share of ad revenue generated from ads displayed in response to their posts. As part of its initiative to enhance user earnings on the platform, the company has confirmed plans to expand the program later this month, inviting all eligible creators to apply. Here, we discuss conditions/how to apply for this Twitter monetisation. Eligibility to apply for Twitter monetisation Those who can enjoy Twitter monetisation include those who hit the following 4 conditions: Twitter Blue subscribers or Verified organisations. Accounts with up to 500 followers Those with a tweet impression count exceeding 5 million per month over the past three months Creators who meet the Creator Monetisation Standards through human evaluation. With the launch of the Creator Ads Revenue Sharing Program, artists are inclined to encourage interactions with their tweets, ideally fostering meaningful discussions. However, there have been concerns about the platform becoming a place that breeds more toxicity and vulgarity than before as people start to quest for engagement and impressions. Other key points to note as you apply for Twitter monetisation While it’s exciting to start creating any sort of content that can generate engagement and in return provide you income, Twitter X has some terms and conditions you may want to know. See the following three: While Twitter has historically displayed leniency towards explicit content, it strictly prohibits the commercialisation of sexual material under its content monetisation guidelines. The platform explicitly discourages pyramid schemes and get-rich-quick endeavours, as well as any content endorsing violence, criminal activities, gambling, or substance abuse. Moreover, creators attempting to profit from copyrighted content they do not own will be excluded from participation in the ad revenue-sharing program. Final thoughts In today’s dynamic digital landscape, the symbiotic relationship between content creation and revenue rewards on social media stands as a testament to the evolving power of user-generated content. As content creators continue to shape online narratives and captivate global audiences, innovative revenue reward systems offer not only financial incentives but also recognition for their creative endeavours. With platforms like Twitter continually refining these models, the future holds exciting possibilities for content creators to not only thrive but also revolutionise the way we engage with digital content, fostering a community where creativity is celebrated and rewarded in equal measure.
Read MoreSA competition regulator says no to Vodacom’s acquisition of fibre operator Maziv
South Africa’s competition regulator has rejected Vodacom’s acquisition of Maziv, a holding company which owns Dark Fibre Africa, the country’s second-largest fibre network operator. The competition commission of South Africa has recommended against Vodacom’s acquisition of Maziv, a holding company whose assets include fibre network operators Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) and Vumatel. “The Commission is of the view that the proposed transaction is likely to substantially prevent or lessen competition in several markets and that the conditions offered do not fully address the resultant harm to competition,” the regulator said in a statement. Additionally, the commission stated that the public interest commitments provided by the merger parties did not outweigh the competition concerns. Areas of concern The commission outlined that the transaction is likely to affect both horizontal and vertical competitiveness in the market. From a horizontal perspective, the commission’s investigation shows that 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and fibre compete in the same relevant market and that consumers stand to benefit from increasing competitive rivalry between FWA and fibre. “The proposed merger will result in the loss of direct competition between Vodacom and Maziv in the areas where both Vodacom and Maziv have deployed fibre. The Commission’s investigation has shown that fibre players tend to reduce prices in areas where more than one fibre network provider has deployed fibre. This price competition is lost with the merger,” it stated. Another consideration was the pre-merger plans of both Vodacom and Maziv. Vodacom, through its spectrum allocation obligations, and Maziv, through its planned Vumatel roll-out plans, are both investing in infrastructure rollout to target underserved low-income and more rural consumers. According to the commission, a merger transaction is likely to reduce this competitive rivalry and deprive low-income consumers of the benefits that fixed competition exerts on mobile products as currently enjoyed by wealthier and urban consumers in South Africa. From a vertical perspective, the regulator cited concerns about the fact that mobile network operators (MNOs) rely on Maziv to a varying but significant degree for fibre backhaul and metropolitan connectivity services to provide mobile retail services. The merger would create the ability and (increased) incentive to partially foreclose or otherwise disadvantage rival MNOs to Vodacom. In its conclusion, the regulator stated that there are no significant benefits arising from the proposed merger that are not already independently planned prior to the merger or not already in place. Additionally, the merger was deemed likely to further reinforce the incentives for self-preferencing and discriminatory behaviour. What is interesting is that in November last year, South Africa’s communications regulator greenlighted Vodacom’s acquisition of DFA’s operating licenses by Vodacom. In November 2021, Vodacom announced that it would shell out R6 billion ($337.5 million) in cash, and fibre assets valued at R4 billion for a 30% stake in Maziv, which held DFA’s fibre assets. The commission’s decision is likely to derail Vodacom’s plans to have a significant headstart in the battle for fibre dominance, which looked to be on the right track after MTN’s acquisition of Telkom fell through. A strong fibre network will ensure that Vodacom will be able to support its own push for 5G, as well as lease out its network to other operators for their 5G services.
Read MoreGhana’s inflation hits 43% due to rising food costs
Driven by food prices, Ghana’s inflation rose to 43.1% in July from 42.5% in June—a four-month high. The increase may force the central bank to increase the interest rates again to help the country’s struggling economy. Ghana’s inflation rate hit a four-month high of 43.1% in July, as the country grapples with a debt-induced economic crisis. Per Bloomberg, the increase was driven by food prices, according to a government representative. Ghana’s food inflation rose to 55% from 54.2% in June. On the other hand, non-food price growth grew from 33.4% to 33.8% Bloomberg reports that the uptick may force the Ghanaian government to increase interest rates again. Last month, Ghana’s central bank hiked key interest rates to 30% in response to soaring inflation which stood at 42.5%. Central Bank governor Ernest Addison said at the time that policy tightening will continue until the desired inflation level is achieved. The decision to raise interest rates in the nation increases the cost of borrowing money and is intended to reduce consumer spending. Ghana is currently battling its worst financial crisis in decades, with public debt almost as large as its gross domestic product (GDP), according to Financial Times. In May, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) granted Ghana a $3 billion bailout to aid its economic recovery from the debt crisis. But Ghana isn’t the only West African country dealing with an economic crisis. Driven by a rise in food prices, Nigeria’s headline inflation hit a seven-year high of 22.79% in July. According to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation was up by 25.25% on a year-on-year basis in June. Nigeria’s Central Bank had to raise the benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points to 18.75 percent, from 18.5 percent, in an aggressive push to contain inflationary pressure.
Read MoreeTranzact declares ₦1.01 billion profit in H1 2023
eTranzact International Plc has released its financial report for the half year 2023. The payments provider recorded N1.01 billion in profit, a 149% increase from the previous year. Nigerian payments provider, eTranzact International Plc profits rose to ₦1.01 billion in the first half of 2023—representing a 149% increase compared to the previous year. eTranzact’s profit for the half year surpassed its earnings forecast for the third quarter of 2023, which is projected at ₦582 million. Similarly, it earned ₦17.37 billion as its revenue for H1 2023. This figure is higher than the net revenue of ₦9.13 billion it forecast for September 30, 2023. President Bola Ahmed’s moves to eliminate Nigeria’s multiple exchange rate windows resulted in record losses in half year 2023 results for several companies. Airtel Nigeria similarly suffered a $151m loss in its Q1 2023 results. The telco said it would continue to invest in the country to enable it to capture the growth opportunity. The total value of total transactions eTranzact processed in 2022 is pegged at over ₦50 trillion. This was made possible through its switching services, SwitchIT. The company also said it ensured a 99% success rate and uptime across the various service offerings during 2022. Its current profit of ₦1.01 billion demonstrates the wide adoption of its fintech services in Nigeria. Currently, Access Bank is the biggest shareholder in the firm, owning a 37.54% stake in H1 2023 from a 23.80% stake it owned in H1 2022. It has surpassed eTranzact who now owns 22.98% in H1 2023, from a 31.86%, owned in H1 2022. Accelerex Holding is the third largest shareholder with 11.15%. Two industry watchers who spoke about this phenomenon said Access Bank’s move is in line with the lender’s aggressive expansion plan across the African continent. Last month, it acquired the subsidiaries of Standard Chartered Bank. In that statement, Access Bank stressed that the acquisition was “a strategic transaction” that represents its journey in serving as a gateway for payments in Africa and the world. The bank did not provide any update on the shareholding status.
Read MoreMultichoice terminates DStv service in Malawi after court blocks price increase
Multichoice is exiting Malawi following a high court ruling preventing the company from invoking further price increases for DStv service in the country. Pan-African broadcaster Multichoice is pulling its satellite television service provider, DStv, out of Malawi. This follows a decision by Malawian regulators to reject DStv’s latest price hikes. At the end of July, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) obtained an interim injunction from the country’s High Court. The injunction prohibited Multichoice Malawi from changing or modifying DSTV tariffs. Yesterday, August 8, the high court further ordered Multichoice to comply with the order, leading the broadcaster to terminate its DStv offering in Malawi. MACRA’s injunction was premised on the fact that because Multichoice did not directly offer the DStv service to the public, it could not set or adjust tariffs for the service in the country. Multichoice believes that the court order makes business impossible. And the consequence of non-compliance, which included imprisonment for the company’s staff, led to the decision to exit the market. “Given the impact on Multichoice Malawi and an increasingly adverse regulatory environment, [Multichoice] is therefore left with no option but to terminate DStv services indefinitely,” the company said. Setting precedence for the rest of Africa? In Multichoice’s annual results for the year ended March 31, 2023, DStv’s “Rest of Africa” market segment, which includes its plays in the continent apart from South Africa, returned to profitability for the first time since the company was publicly listed in 2019. “We continued to scale our overall subscriber base and benefited from a strong performance in the Rest of Africa, that delivered a trading profit for the first time since our listing in 2019,” said CEO Calvo Mawela. With DStv’s growth in South Africa slowing down over the last few years, Multichoice is looking to the RoA segment to compensate for that slump. Data firm Omdia forecasts modest pay TV subscriber growth of just 5.1% between 2022 and 2027 for MultiChoice in South Africa, compounded by the energy crisis currently gripping the country. By contrast, the firm expects the RoA segment to contribute a growing proportion of MultiChoice’s total pay TV subscriptions, with this share of subscribers forecast to rise from 53.6% in 2022 to 56.4% by 2027.
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TechCabal Daily – Safaricom Ethiopia gets $257 million
In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية Good morning WhatsApp is turning into a conferencing app. Soon, you’ll be able to share your screen while on WhatsApp video calls. The feature is live now, and it’s slowly rolling out across the globe. The app also recently allowed users to share links to video and voice calls. With the launch of usernames, communities and channels, could WhatsApp be the next frontier for personal and professional collaboration? In today’s edition Senegal arrests Starlink sellers Safaricom finalises $257 million IFC deal Influencers cash out on X Uber drivers implicated in passenger attacks The World Wide Web3 Event: Code Cash Crop Ag-Hackathon Opportunities Internet Senegal arrests Starlink sellers The Senegalese government is taking its internet shutdown very seriously. Yesterday, one week after another internet shutdown was effected, the government began arresting Starlink sellers. Per the government, the sellers are guilty of “illegal provision of internet access and irregular marketing”. The five people arrested by the Department of Urban Security of the National Police face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of CFA60 million($100,000). The telecommunications regulatory authority has also issued a warning for any service providers marketing Starlink and any other company with similar activities to immediately cease all service throughout the country. Conflict in Senegal in June. Image source: Annika Hammerschlag What’s happening? One week ago, the Senegalese government shut down its internet, citing a need to prevent disturbances to public order. This was the country’s second internet shutdown in two months. The first internet shutdown was an aftermath of the violent protest in the country which started after Senegal’s opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, was sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting the youths.” The first shutdown lasted about 3 days according to Netblocks, and it’s presently unknown how long the present one will last. Zoom Out: The Senegalese government can not shut down Starlink as it is a satellite-based internet service and does not rely on physical infrastructure such as data centres, fibre-optic cables, and cell towers like traditional internet services and physical locations on which the government can easily exert control. Secure payments with Monnify Monnify has simplified how businesses accept payments to enable growth. We are trusted by Piggyvest, Buypower, Wakanow, Fairmoney, Cowrywise, and over 10,000 Nigerian businesses. Get your Monnify account today here. Telecoms Safaricom finalises $257 million deal with the IFC Image source: Yung Nollywood Safaricom Ethiopia has bagged significant funding from the World Bank’s private investment arm for its greenfield telecommunications project. On Monday, the telecom finalised an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), to receive Ksh36.8 billion ($257.4 million) in funding. The deal was first announced in June. The funding agreement: The IFC is providing a loan of Ksh14.3 billion ($100 million) to Safaricom and investing ($157.4 million) Ksh22.5 billion in Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV (GPE). This investment will give the IFC a smaller ownership stake in GPE, with Safaricom PLC remaining the major shareholder. Furthermore, MIGA will provide guarantees for ten years worth Ksh143.1 billion ($1 billion), safeguarding the investments of Safaricom Ethiopia’s shareholders, which include Vodafone Group, Vodacom, Sumitomo Corporation, and British International Investment. Additionally, the MIGA Guarantee Facility is contributing an extra ($76 million) KSh10.9 billion to support these guarantees. The investment is intended to support Safaricom Ethiopia’s ongoing greenfield telecommunications project to deploy and operate 4G and 5G mobile networks across the country. Zoom out: According to Safaricom’s chief business development and strategy officer, Michael Mutiga, the entire package amounts to more than $1.275 billion. This funding comes after Safaricom Ethiopia secured a mobile money license, seven months after launching its operations in Ethiopia. Discover Trends with Smile Identity Download the Smile ID State of KYC in Africa Report on the latest trends in identity verification across Africa, highlighting the power of biometric verification and document verification in combating fraud. It is a must-read for any business looking to acquire users across Africa and keep up with fraud trends. Creator Economy Twitter influencers in Nigeria are cashing out X is marking the spot for many influencers. Yesterday morning, several influencers and Twitter X Premium users were greeted with credit alerts. These users each received payments of between $251 and $500 for being active on the platform. Image source: Y Combinator Why is Elon paying influencers? These payments, which make up X’s Ads Revenue Sharing programme for creators globally, are a part of Musk’s strategy to encourage subscriptions to X Premium by sharing income made from advertising with the creators. The company sent out the first round of payments for eligible accounts in July before opening up registration to more people. Four days ago, the company’s support account apologised for delayed payments as their system received more registrations than they had anticipated. However, it seems that has been sorted as numerous users globally have taken to the app to share screenshots of their payments from the platform. How can you get paid:The criteria for eligibility include being subscribed to X Premium, and having a minimum of 500 followers and at least 15 million impressions on cumulative posts within the past three months. Subscribing to X premium cost about $8/month for a monthly plan or $7/month for the annual plan Zoom out: While some influencers acknowledge that the new incentive by Elon Musk might raise the stakes for influencer marketing, others worry that the platform is about to get riddled with more toxicity as people will go the length to spread misinformation and hate, to elicit engagement and grow their followers. More worry that as demand for X Premium grows, the Ads revenue programme will get stricter and less welcoming. It remains uncertain how long Musk can sustain these payouts considering the company’s declining revenue. Mobility Uber drivers implicated in passenger-attacks in South Africa In South Africa, ride-hailing drivers have gone from prey to predators. ICYMI: In early June 2023, Uber and Bolt drivers were attacked
Read MoreExclusive: Sendy, the Kenyan logistics startup in acquisition talks
Sendy is currently in advanced negotiations for an acquisition, with an official announcement expected soon. The startup has encountered significant challenges due to declining investor funding within the African startup ecosystem. According to sources close to the matter, logistics startup Sendy is allegedly in the process of handing over its business to a new owner. The Kenyan company, which has been in operation for nearly a decade, has been battling sustainability challenges after several lay-offs and business decisions that forced it to abandon some of its products. It is unclear which company will acquire Sendy, although TechCabal confirmed that the firm is engaged in a transaction that will essentially see its ownership change soon. In the same breath, details about the transaction cost have not been revealed. It is also unclear whether Sendy will further trim its employees or the new owners will keep the headcount intact. Sendy declined to comment at this time. Recent layoffs and funding Following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, several key technology companies and startups embarked on mass layoffs to trim their headcount after massive hirings during the lockdown. Workers were laid off due to economic downturn, financial strain and overall business uncertainty. Sendy was one of the companies that sent home workers. In 2022, Sendy shifted its focus from a supply service for retailers to concentrating on end-to-end fulfillment, leading to its decision to cease operations in Nigeria. At that time, Sendy said it would aim to match online buyers with appropriate logistics providers. Its fulfillment service remained unaffected in other markets. This strategic change meant Sendy was moving away from its asset-heavy model in Nigeria, streamlining its approach based on market demands since its launch there in late 2021. In late 2022, Sendy secured undisclosed financial support from MOL PLUS, the venture capital division of Japanese transport firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. This funding, seemingly acting as a rescue fund, aimed to stabilise Sendy while the logistics startup strategised its future moves. The funding discussions with MOL PLUS seem to have aligned with Sendy’s proactive efforts to reduce costs. In 2018, Sendy concluded a Series A funding round, using the investment to enhance its range of services, grow its workforce, and prepare for the East African market. By 2020, the company had secured a $20 million Series B funding, with Atlantica Ventures taking the lead. This round also saw participation from Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the trade and investment division of Japanese automotive giant Toyota. Sendy is also one of the first beneficiaries of Safaricom Spark Fund, a $1m investment vehicle targeting growing startups.
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Starlink sellers arrested in Senegal
A week after shutting down the internet for the second time in two months, the Senegalese government is arresting people selling Starlink in the country for “illegal provision of internet access and irregular marketing”. On Monday, the Senegalese government arrested five people for selling Starlink terminals without the required licence or authorisation. The five people arrested by the Department of Urban Security of the National Police face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of 60 million CFA ($100,000). The telecommunications regulatory authority has also issued a warning for any service providers marketing Starlink and any other company with similar activities to immediately cease all service throughout the country. Starlink is an internet system developed by SpaceX, an American private space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, that delivers speeds of up to 150Mbps with only a clear view of the sky needed. Its terminals would allow the Senegalese to access the internet via satellite, thereby bypassing the need for a telecom operator. Thus, if the government decides to suspend the internet again, Starlink users would still be able to connect to the internet. However, according to Starlink’s website, the internet service provider is unavailable in Senegal. Senegal’s government suspends internet again to “prevent disturbances” This arrest follows a series of clampdowns by the Senegalese government, which has restricted internet access on multiple occasions to control its citizens. Last month, the government restricted access to the internet after protests erupted when Ousmane Sonko, a popular opposition politician, was arrested. The government also suspended internet access last week after Sonko was rearrested. After the ban was suspended last week, the government suspended TikTok because it is “favoured by people with bad intentions to spread hateful and subversive messages,” according to Moussa Bocar Thiam, the country’s minister of communications, telecommunications, and digital economy.
Read MoreMoonshot: Africa should not play catchup with AI regulation
Moonshot by TechCabal is the conference that brings together Africa’s tech ecosystem in person to network, collaborate, share insights and celebrate innovation. Join us in Lagos on October 11 and 12. In this third article built around the conference, Kenn Abuya considers how African governments can adopt a united approach with AI regulation while upholding human rights, ensuring data privacy and protecting individuals’ intellectual property. Since the early days of the internet, Africa has mostly been a consumer of new tech. Like in social media, where non-US nations have to adapt to American platform rules, and Africa often has little say in shaping or challenging these norms, the same pattern is happening with powerful AI systems like ChatGPT. Africa is again in the receiving position. But, this time, the continent can shape the regulations to position itself as an active and influential participant in the global AI landscape. This involvement can lead to a more equitable, ethical, and responsible AI development and deployment across the continent. Africa can push for a new and inclusive approach to regulate AI, unlike how it tackled social media. AI regulation in Africa has a long way to go African nations, such as Kenya, have yet to address the regulatory aspects of AI. While some existing legal frameworks offer potential avenues for incorporating AI elements, the rapid advancement of this technology has outpaced the scope of these laws, particularly concerning data collection. Given this scenario, creating a dedicated, all-encompassing regulatory framework for AI is key. Kenya already has some regulations in place, such as the Data Protection Act (2021) and the Computer Misuse Act (2018), which could be amended to accommodate the dynamics of AI applications. According to J. Walubengo, ICT lecturer at Multimedia University of Kenya, who spoke to TechCabal, “AI is quite a broad space. A new, isolated Act to regulate AI would be needed.” Walubengo cites the proposed EU AI Act as a framework that can guide the development of AI regulations for the African market. For instance, its goals include ensuring safety and adherence to existing laws regarding fundamental rights and values for AI systems entering the EU market. The framework also seeks to establish legal clarity, promoting an environment conducive to investment and innovation in AI. It also aims to bolster governance and enforce prevailing laws concerning fundamental rights and safety prerequisites applicable to AI systems. For now, a few African states have made significant progress regulating AI: Tunisia, Egypt and Mauritius. While the call for Africa to engage in AI regulation is valid, Africa must also consider the practical challenges of the continent’s digital policy decisions and the lack of necessary infrastructure that affects the development of AI legal frameworks, Megan Kathure, a tech policy analyst, argues. “AI regulatory attention by African states will take various forms, as already evidenced by Mauritius and Egypt, which have National AI strategies, while other countries adopt a piecemeal approach to governance by creating task forces or research labs. While the clamour for the continent to throw its hat into the ring of AI regulation bears merit, sight should not be lost on the realpolitik attendant to Africa’s digital policy-making and the infrastructure deficit impacting the coming into fruition of AI legal frameworks,” Kathure told TechCabal. Most African nations, like Kenya, have not yet implemented a formal national strategy. However, Kenya has introduced recent resources like a guide for AI practitioners. It’s important to note the significance of the Blockchain & Artificial Intelligence taskforce discussed in 2018, which wrote a report called “Emerging Digital Technologies for Kenya: Exploration and Analysis.” It offers guidance for individuals engaged in AI development and use. It also aids in shaping future regulatory initiatives by Kenyan authorities. Ethical AI regulations are important, though The nature of AI systems poses a challenge to lawmakers seeking to establish regulations that safeguard individuals’ rights. However, one key question emerges: how might legislators navigate the nuances of AI and applications to create regulations that uphold human rights? According to Walubengo, specialised legislation often overwhelms legislators. The solution involves the legislators forming a task force of AI experts, legal professionals, and academics to draft the law. They would then educate the parliament to enable informed debate and passage of the legislation. Megan Kathure, on the other hand, argues that effective lawmaking in this era of emerging technologies should consider how these technologies impact various aspects of human rights. Recognising this and prioritising human rights in policymaking will assist policymakers in navigating AI regulation. “Legislators usually can’t cope with most specialised legislation; what happens is that the minister for ICT would need to constitute a taskforce of AI experts/practitioners, legal experts, AI academics, etc, to draft the law, then educate the parliament on the same for them to debate and pass the legislation,” said Walubengo. “Effective lawmaking in this epoch of emerging technologies should take note of the rapid diffusion of technologies in every facet of our lives and how such incursion has the potential to facilitate or stymie the realisation of human rights. Such an appreciation, coupled with the intentional centralisation and respect for human rights in policymaking, will aid policymakers in navigating the spheres of AI regulation,” added Kathure. AI can be impactful if properly regulated AI can wield significant influence when subject to effective regulation. Proper oversight ensures its potential benefits are harnessed while minimising risks, fostering innovation, and safeguarding ethical considerations. Walubengo acknowledges AI’s value for productivity, but with a caveat: its success hinges on extensive data, and some AI firms have already breached privacy laws to gather vast personal and potentially copyrighted data. Therefore, regulation is vital to harmonise the interests of AI developers, personal data, and intellectual property. He said, “AI is good and should be embraced and encouraged. However, its side effects (e.g., non-responsible AI) should be regulated for the benefit and safety of humanity.” “While too often we wax lyrical of how regulation can stifle innovation—a plausible reality but often a stand-in for entities to
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