AI in Africa: Framing AI through an African Lens

Development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa has occurred slowly relative to developed countries. A vibrant AI ecosystem is growing on the continent. Due to the unique geographical, cultural and political nature of the continent, the 4th industrial revolution on the continent is evolving differently from its global counterparts. The motivations for development of AI systems, the parties involved, and the impact of the AI ecosystem on the continent are therefore best analyzed and framed through a unique African lens. This paper seeks to begin this process by developing a conceptual framework to characterize the parties involved in the African AI ecosystem. i.e., the African AI stakeholder. Identification of these stakeholders will aid in determining their interests, responsibilities and accountability and will provide a basis for the development and implementation of an equitable AI ecosystem. It is our goal that this framework, ultimately, be used to guide the contributions from the African AI perspective in global dialogues on ethics, bias, inclusion and similar topics in the AI sphere.