[AFRICA] - AI, Democracy, and Africa

The Synopsis:

Research Fellows, Scott Timcke and Hanani Hlomani, have examined the socio-technical infrastructure on which Africa has created for itself. They highlight that Africa, unfortunately, has been plagued with 'colonial underdevelopment, exploitation, and oppression’, which has stunted the adoption of democracy and responsible AI technologies. However, Scott and Hanani make a proposal for those who are determined and passionate about a self-determining, algorithmically fair Africa, the African Proponents of Democracy. African democrats must be aware of the sociopolitical landscape, prior unmet expectations of African citizens, and future of AI in Africa. The work of an African Proponent of Democracy is challenging, yet sows seeds of hope for the Continent.¹

The Analysis:

Scott Timcke and Hanani Hlomani have made an excellent effort in underlining the sociopolitical and sociotechnical infrastructure of African nations. Africa is an untapped resource for AI implementations, which could facilitate menial processes, aid in healthcare, and many other integral nation activities. However, the sociopolitical climate of most African nations stymie the adoption of AI. According the EIU Democracy Index, most countries in Africa are either authoritarian or hybrid regimes [authoritarian and democratic].² Hybrid regimes are inherently disingenuous because it deludes citizens into thinking democratically, while the government engages despotically; it is a disharmonious union that stifle responsible AI adoption and innovation for a better Africa. For example, in Uganda [hybrid regime], facial recognition technology has been used to repress political activism; the Ugandan Constitution of 1995 states,“No person shall be subjected to interference with the privacy of that person's home, correspondence, communication or other property.“³ The facial-recognition-mass-surveillance protocol violates their constitution and basic human rights, and further divides the nation. Authoritarian regimes, like Togo, operate in the full interest of the government, which is more challenging for African democrats to implement responsible, human-centered AI technologies. The African Proponents of Democracy are to navigate perilous governmental system(s) to bring algorithmic fairness and democracy to all African citizens. Although, their task is herculean because of the rampant corruption, exploitation, and unmet citizens’ need to which they must reckon. Though, I am hopeful, as there are ways we, as people from Western nations can help hybrid regimes. The United States can establish US Embassies to audit the countries actions in adherence to its democratic laws. Through the audit and participation of the ambassador, the United States has better insight to grant incentives or sanctions on those governments. Contrarily, for authoritarian regimes, democracy is not the foundation of the country, and I believe that Western nations should provide asylum to those who desire a democratic regime. Thus, Western nations have a responsibility to aid our African brothers and sisters in the fight for a democratic, algorithmically fair and transparent society.

The Endnotes:

^{1 Scott Timcke, Hanani Hlomani, “AI and the Future of Democracy in Africa: Navigating the Promise and the Peril”, Tech Policy .Press, accessed Mar 14, 2024,}

^{https://www.techpolicy.press/ai-and-the-future-of-democracy-in-africa-navigating-the-promise-and-the-peril/}

^{2 EIU, “The Age of Conflict”, accessed Mar 14, 2024,}

^{https://pages.eiu.com/rs/753-RIQ-438/images/Democracy-Index-2023-Final-report.pdf?version=0&mkt_tok=NzUzLVJJUS00MzgAAAGR3GZMKeBS2Oab1b3SJJSot3UA1pISCqU8C2Xs-VRskBCoJ1N7_okbXMm4-_Y9HbzfvKkKZ3BtUmTcEMNc2YEuAwHGtW5mYDuSdjz4gCp_nH_qKQ}

^{3 The Constitute Project, “Uganda 1995 (rev.2017),” accessed Mar 14, 2024,}

^{https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Uganda_2017}