AAI needs human guidance…for now
Because of my profession, not a day goes by without someone asking me about Artificial Intelligence (AI); the buzz and excitement are inescapable.However, I always temper clients' expectations. AI is not a magic wand, especially not for Africa. Here, we should be focusing on African Artificial Intelligence (AAI): a truly tailored version of AI for the African continent. The first thing to remember is that we cannot implement generalised solutions for individuals or specific challenges.
AI holds immense potential for Africa to drive development, innovation, and economic growth. Eliminating coders, engineers, and analysts may sound attractive from a cost-cutting perspective, but the reality is quite different. Simply assuming that tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can do all the work is already causing problems. Entrusting your organisation’s future entirely to AI is proving to be problematic.
These hurdles are even more pronounced in Namibia.
Namibians communicate differently; we can immediately tell if we’re talking to a chatbot, based on phrasing alone. The solutions offered by AI that work in other parts of the world often don’t work locally. AI is linguistically programmed in English through large language models (LLMs), and does not account for local languages, this can lead to significant bias, particularly in African countries.
Investing in African Artificial Intelligence is essential. We must develop and programme AI to cater to Namibian and broader African needs. This is where our coders, engineers, and specialists come in.
At Green Enterprise Solutions, we are upskilling our workforce not only to understand AAI but also to equip them with the expertise to leverage it for our clients. If we harness AAI correctly and implement it across organisations as a supporting and enabling tool, it becomes an incredibly valuable asset—one that can drive growth, operational efficiency, and better service delivery.
Bespoke for Africa
AAI can be implemented. We need prompts and code that are specific to how Africans engage with one another - the language, the tone, the vernacular. We recognise and understand the transformative potential of AI. In light of this, the African Union (AU) has developed an Africa-specific strategy, the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy. This promotes an Africa-centric, development-focused approach to AI, emphasising ethical, responsible, and equitable practices.
But what happens if we don’t rework existing AI models such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, or Copilot to suit Africa’s socio-economic context?
We will forever be playing catch-up.
That’s why we need AAI, programmed by Africans, for Africa. This is where new career opportunities lie. It must be embedded in policies that ensure AI applications respect cultural values, protect individual rights, and understand local linguistic nuances. With over one billion people across our continent, it would be absurd not to reprogram AI models for Africa.
One of the primary challenges Africa faces is the digital divide. Local experts and companies must be integral to the AAI revolution across the continent. AI in Africa is still in its infancy, but if we engineer and programme models for our languages and cultures, we can unlock an unstoppable future - on our terms.
We must not fear AI. Yes, some jobs may disappear, but many more will be created. We don’t just have a role to play as humans when it comes to AI—we, as Africans, are essential to shaping the future of AI.
Kehad Snydewel is the Managing Director of Green Enterprise Solutions.