Africa seeks leadership in AI development and technology regulation

African leaders are emphasizing the need for the continent to take an active role in the development and regulation of emerging technologies. Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, Gauteng's MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, stated at the CNBC Africa AI Summit that Africa must build its own artificial intelligence technology, intellectual property, and productive capacity to avoid merely being a consumer of tools developed elsewhere.

Ramokgopa highlighted that AI is already transforming sectors such as finance, logistics, agriculture, and healthcare. She argued that Gauteng's strategy involves building capabilities to participate in the AI economy and using the technology to strengthen existing provincial advantages while ensuring benefits are inclusive for workers and young people.

In a related discussion on technological impact, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes addressed the legal and ethical challenges posed by AI and automated decision-making in warfare. Speaking at the University of Johannesburg, Botes launched ‘Rapid Response: IHL’, a board game developed with the International Committee of the Red Cross to teach International Humanitarian Law through complex decision-making scenarios.

Botes stressed that Africa must be a central voice in shaping international rules governing armed conflict and technological transformation to ensure that future systems are developed within clear legal limits that protect civilians.