Toward an African Agenda for AI Safety

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Authors: Samuel T. Segun, Rachel Adams, Ana Florido, Scott Timcke, Jonathan Shock, Leah Junck, Fola Adeleke, Nicolas Grossman, Ayantola Alayande, Jerry John Kponyo, Matthew Smith, Dickson Marfo Fosu, Prince Dawson Tetteh, Juliet Arthur, Stephanie Kasaon, Odilile Ayodele, Laetitia Badolo, Paul Plantinga, Michael Gastrow, Sumaya Nur Adan, Joanna Wiaterek, Cecil Abungu, Kojo Apeagyei, Luise Eder, Tegawende Bissyande

Published: 2025-08-12 17:42:09+00:00

Comment: 28 pages, 2 figures

AI Summary

This paper outlines Africa's distinct AI risk profile, encompassing deepfake-fueled electoral interference, data colonialism, and socioeconomic disruptions, while noting the continent's limited integration into global AI safety debates. It proposes a five-point action plan to address these challenges, focusing on a human rights-based policy approach, establishing an African AI Safety Institute, promoting public AI literacy, developing early warning systems for African languages, and initiating an annual AU-level AI Safety & Security Forum.

Abstract

This paper maps Africa's distinctive AI risk profile, from deepfake fuelled electoral interference and data colonial dependency to compute scarcity, labour disruption and disproportionate exposure to climate driven environmental costs. While major benefits are promised to accrue, the availability, development and adoption of AI also mean that African people and countries face particular AI safety risks, from large scale labour market disruptions to the nefarious use of AI to manipulate public opinion. To date, African perspectives have not been meaningfully integrated into global debates and processes regarding AI safety, leaving African stakeholders with limited influence over the emerging global AI safety governance agenda. While there are Computer Incident Response Teams on the continent, none hosts a dedicated AI Safety Institute or office. We propose a five-point action plan centred on (i) a policy approach that foregrounds the protection of the human rights of those most vulnerable to experiencing the harmful socio-economic effects of AI; (ii) the establishment of an African AI Safety Institute; (iii) promote public AI literacy and awareness; (iv) development of early warning system with inclusive benchmark suites for 25+ African languages; and (v) an annual AU-level AI Safety & Security Forum.

Key findings

The paper identifies Africa's particular vulnerability to AI risks like deepfake manipulation and labor displacement, exacerbated by 'computational poverty' and data colonialism. It highlights a severe deficit in AI safety governance, with only 26.8% of assessed African states showing concrete safety activity. The proposed action plan aims to establish an African-centric approach to AI safety, ensuring human rights protection and fostering local capacity in research, literacy, and early warning systems for diverse African languages.

Approach

The paper identifies Africa's unique AI risk landscape, highlighting significant gaps in current AI safety governance and technical capacity on the continent. It then proposes a comprehensive five-pillar action plan, focusing on policy, institutional development, public education, technical solutions for diverse African languages, and pan-African coordination.

Datasets

UNKNOWN

Model(s)

UNKNOWN

Author countries

South Africa, Ghana, UK, Luxembourg

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