AI Is Not Africa’s Savior: Avoiding Technosolutionism in Digital Development

In early April, the Rwandan government hosted the inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa, which served as a forum to facilitate critical discussions on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa and present tangible progress made within the AI startup, digital infrastructure, economic, and governance landscape. With almost 2,000 delegates in attendance, a significant number of whom were from Africa, the event provided a venue for global stakeholders to understand the nuances and experiences of advancing AI in Africa. Over two days, the summit presented a diverse array of sessions, side events, and cultural celebrations. For many observers of AI governance and policy, this marked the first major international forum where African perspectives were comprehensively represented, resulting in the first Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (“Declaration”)...