Agenda

Africa is the continent of the digital future. It is a continent with a young population and an enormous potential for economic and societal development driven by emerging and advanced technologies. Africa also has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom encapsulated in local traditions, customs and philosophies. Unfortunately, today, this wisdom and knowledge has little reflection in the development of both AI technology and in the shaping of AI governance rules. For instance, large language models at the core of generative AI applications tend to be trained mostly on Western knowledge, while Africa’s voices in global AI governance discussions tend to be underrepresented. 

As AI technologies continue to be developed, and AI rules are being shaped for decades to come, it is essential for both to reflect the ethics, values, and customs practiced by African communities in order to be universally relevant. This is not only a matter of ensuring a proper representation of African interests in the development and governance of AI, but also one of building an AI-enabled future that is strongly anchored into the values and interests of the whole of humanity, and not just a few.

Against this backdrop, the session will revolve around the following key question: How can African knowledge and wisdom inspire the development and governance of AI? It will start with a reflection on why and how Ubuntu, a philosophy deeply rooted in African culture, can provide valuable input into global discussions on the governance of AI, by reflecting the continent’s ethos and social wisdom. 

This philosophy, widely recognised for its role in shaping harmonious relationships among individuals and communities, offers relevant insights on harmonising AI with our core humanity. Drawing from this entho-philosophy that emphasises collective well-being, mutual respect, and interconnectedness, Ubuntu can be a unique African contribution to the development of AI’s ethical, epistemological, and governance aspects. At the same time, it can also serve as a reminder that the journey of AI is not only about codes and algorithms but also, maybe even more importantly, about humanity’s shared stories, values, and aspirations.

The session will then continue with an open-ended discussion on concrete steps that would lead to a clearly articulated promotion and reflection of Africa’s knowledge, realities and interests in the development and governance of AI.