Africas AI Infrastructure to be Controlled by Global Players

African Union Ministers Discuss Artificial Intelligence Amid Growing Investment in Data Centers and AI Systems

In April, African Union ministers gathered in Tangier, Morocco, to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) as the continent’s governments seek to develop strategies for adopting and deploying the technology. The meeting comes as foreign technology companies invest heavily in data centers, cloud services, and AI systems across Africa.

Several countries have released national AI strategies, highlighting the need to build local capacity and reduce dependence on foreign technology providers. Ghana’s national strategy describes AI as a “sovereign capability,” while 49 countries, including the African Union, have endorsed the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, which calls for greater investment in African AI infrastructure.

However, translating ambition into policy has proven challenging. In South Africa, a draft national AI policy was withdrawn due to concerns over unverifiable references that appeared to be generated by AI tools. This highlights the difficulties governments face in regulating rapidly evolving technologies.

The global competition for access to data, computing power, and new markets is intensifying, with major technology companies, cloud providers, and governments vying for advantage. African countries may benefit from this competition, as it creates space for negotiation. According to Priyal Singh, a geopolitical analyst, the fragmented nature of the global AI industry could strengthen Africa’s position.

The continent remains underrepresented in the global digital economy’s physical backbone, with industry estimates suggesting that Africa accounts for less than one percent of global data center capacity despite being home to 18% of the world’s population. Unreliable electricity supply remains a major constraint on expansion, particularly in Kenya where a proposed $1 billion data center development has drawn attention due to its significant energy demands.

The project, involving Microsoft and Emirati technology company G42, has sparked discussions about infrastructure requirements and power generation needs. As negotiations over data centers and cloud infrastructure continue, African countries are seeking to assert their control over the infrastructure on which AI systems depend.

Source: Al Jazeera