African leaders and technology experts have called for greater innovation, improved digital connectivity, and equitable access to artificial intelligence (AI) at the inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa, which opened on Thursday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
Speaking at the summit, Rwandan President Paul Kagame emphasized Africa’s immense potential for innovation and creativity, which can be amplified by AI. He urged African countries to take proactive steps to fully harness AI’s benefits.
“Our strategy should be to go back to the drawing board and build a strong foundation for connectivity,” Kagame said. “Let’s continue working together and driving AI to reduce inequality, allowing more of our citizens to benefit from the good AI can deliver to all of us.”
Kagame said that AI is revolutionizing industries by improving productivity, enhancing decision-making, and reducing human error. However, he cautioned that Africa risks being left behind if it does not adapt, cooperate, and compete in AI development.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe echoed similar concerns, stressing the need to ensure AI serves all Africans. He warned that without deliberate efforts, AI could benefit only urban and educated elites, widening existing inequalities.
“We have to be careful. AI should not only serve a connected urban minority while leaving out informal workers and young people in rural areas who lack access to technology,” Gnassingbe said.
He emphasized that Africa must identify strategic sectors, such as health, education, and agriculture, where AI can have the most significant impact.
Rwandan Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire stressed the importance of balancing AI innovation and regulation. “For us, these two things must coexist. It’s not about choosing one or the other.”
She highlighted Rwanda’s national AI policy, which includes ethical guidelines to ensure AI solutions, are deployed fairly while addressing potential biases in data training.
Under the theme “AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce,” the Global AI Summit on Africa, which runs through Friday, aims to bolster Africa’s AI capabilities and define its role in the global AI ecosystem.
The event features more than 100 African AI enterprises, an investment roundtable, and a research colloquium to foster collaboration and attract funding. It brings together over 1,000 participants from more than 90 countries.
