African leaders are racing to harness AI’s power while shielding the continent from its dangers. In a high-stakes two-day meeting that kicked off yesterday, the African Union’s Advisory Group on AI Governance, Peace, and Security is hammering out a unified “Common African Position” on how artificial intelligence impacts conflict prevention, stability, and governance.
Experts warn that AI could supercharge early warning systems and mediation efforts or fuel misinformation, cyberattacks, and autonomous weapons in fragile regions. The group, launched earlier this year following AU Peace and Security Council directives, is tackling these dual edges head-on: mapping trends, opportunities, and threats across Africa’s hotspots.
“This isn’t just tech talk it’s about securing our future,” sources close to the closed-door sessions emphasize. Discussions spotlight ethical AI deployment, data sovereignty, and African-led regulations to counter global dominance by Big Tech.
With national AI strategies proliferating from Kenya to Namibia the Nairobi huddle aims to align them under the AU’s broader Continental AI Strategy. Outcome? A robust framework to ensure AI drives peace, not division.
As the world watches superpowers scramble on AI rules, Africa is asserting: We’ll define our own path or risk being left behind. Stay tuned for the position paper that could reshape the continent’s digital destiny.
