Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the global economy and social systems at an unprecedented pace. Across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, finance, and education, AI is enabling smarter, more efficient, and data-driven approaches to problem-solving. For Africa, this moment represents not just an opportunity to catch up but to leapfrog into a future of inclusive, ethical, and locally rooted innovation. At the JS INFO Scientific Days held at Polytechnique Sousse in Tunisia, I had the honour of presenting a case study on how Senegal and South Africa are embracing AI as a strategic tool for development.
Senegal: Bottom-Up Innovation and Social Impact
Senegal is pursuing a grassroots, socially-driven approach to AI, grounded in community needs and accessibility. With 94% mobile penetration, the country is leveraging digital tools that reach even the most remote populations. Under the national plan “Senegal Numérique 2025,” Senegal aims to grow the digital economy from 4% to 10% of GDP. Key investments include the creation of the Diamniadio City of Knowledge, a 25-hectare innovation zone featuring the largest Tier 3+ data center in West Africa.
Senegal’s National AI Strategy, co-developed with UNESCO, focuses on inclusive and ethical AI. Despite a modest $15 million budget, the country has launched impactful initiatives such as the “100,000 Digital Technicians” program and the Dakar Innovation Hub. Moreover, AI applications are already making a difference in agriculture, with smart irrigation and disease detection tools; in healthcare, through AI-assisted diagnostics and rural telemedicine; and in finance, with AI-driven fraud detection and credit scoring systems.
South Africa: Institutional Leadership and Advanced Research
In contrast, South Africa presents a model of structured, top-down AI strategy, backed by significant investment and research capacity. The “AI for South Africa” strategy, supported by a $350 million budget, integrates national infrastructure, policy frameworks, and a commitment to ethical governance under the POPIA Act.
South Africa’s tech ecosystem includes state-of-the-art AI research labs at Wits University and CAIR (Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research), as well as more than 200 AI/ML-focused startups. The country is applying AI in areas such as smart mining, environmental monitoring, genomics, and predictive healthcare. Its smart cities initiatives in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Tshwane exemplify the integration of AI into urban governance and sustainability.
Shared Challenges: A Continental Perspective
Despite their differences, both countries face common challenges. These include technological dependence on foreign infrastructure (with 95% of Senegal’s and 72% of South Africa’s cloud services hosted abroad), lack of locally relevant datasets, high software licensing costs, and limited rural connectivity. Both also face issues of gender inequality and socio-economic disparity in tech access, with women comprising only 27% of tech workers in Senegal and 32% in South Africa.
There is a pressing need for greater investment in data sovereignty, AI education, and the development of African-centric datasets. The importance of informed consent and digital literacy also remains critical, especially in rural and low-literacy contexts.
Reflections from Tunisia: Youth Engagement and African Solidarity
What made this experience particularly inspiring was the engagement with students from Polytechnique Sousse. Their awareness of Africa’s digital challenges and opportunities, and their eagerness to contribute, were truly moving. Many saw South Africa’s achievements as a blueprint for what is possible with vision, investment, and inclusion. They expressed a deep sense of responsibility for shaping Africa’s technological destiny—not as passive observers but as active creators.
Conclusion
AI holds the potential to accelerate Africa’s development on its own terms. Whether through grassroots innovation in Senegal or institutional power in South Africa, the path forward must be rooted in ethics, equity, and African agency. The future of African AI will be built not only by policy or investment but by the passion and creativity of its youth, united by a shared commitment to transform the continent from within.
