Alarm as powerful AI tech slipped into public camera systems; Algeria boots up smarter agri
Weekly News Digest ...
Good morning, and welcome to this week’s issue of Africa AI News – Weekly News Digest.
A busy news week, with a lot going on with interesting implementations of AI technologies across astronomy, banking and pathology. The three most unlikely words together in the same sentence you’ll ever see.
Our lead is a theme that has emerged over the past few months: governance. Not the squishy policy wonk “guardrails and oversight are important”, but actual push-back by civil society on African governments talking the “responsible AI talk”, but going hell for leather in the background to drop advanced technologies into their national security and policing systems.
Powerful AI technologies are part and parcel of a number of seemingly innocuous systems, allowing scrutiny to be bypassed. The UK-based Institute of Development Studies released a report that makes horrifying reading. Their main concern is that surveillance technologies developed by and for the Chinese state which deeply concerns human rights organisations is being parachuted into African countries with repressive and undemocratic governments.
What could possibly go wrong?
On with this week’s issue!
/Roger
Policy
Bombshell report: explosion of AI surveillance in Africa
#Africa #policy — Experts and rights organisations warn that expanding AI-driven surveillance across African countries threatens civil liberties and privacy. Analysts say governments are increasingly adopting facial recognition and predictive monitoring technologies slipped in the back door with (typically) Chinese camera technology, with limited regulatory oversight, raising concerns about potential misuse and the erosion of democratic freedoms. (The Guardian)
Morocco to create JAZARI Industry X.0 Institute
#Morocco #industry4 – Morocco’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Digital Transition and Ministry of Economy and Finance have partnered with four universities to launch the JAZARI Industry X.0 Institute. The initiative supports the AI Made in Morocco strategy, targeting 100 billion dirhams ($10bn) in GDP impact and 50,000 AI jobs by 2030. (Middle East AI News)
Kenya bill targets AI deepfakes with fines
#Kenya #policy — Kenyan lawmakers are considering legislation that would impose fines of up to KSh5 million for the malicious use of AI to create deceptive content such as deepfake videos. The proposed law aims to curb misinformation and digital fraud while establishing clearer accountability for individuals who misuse emerging technologies online. (Eastleigh Voice)
SA professor joins UN scientific panel on AI
#SouthAfrica #policy — Professor Vukosi Marivate of the University of Pretoria has been appointed to the United Nations’ first Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, joining 40 experts selected from more than 2,600 applicants across 140 countries. The panel will provide scientific assessments to guide governments on risks, regulation and opportunities linked to the rapidly expanding technology. (News24)
Education
Morocco launches tech mentorship for women
#Morocco #education — Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition has partnered with Capgemini to launch a national mentorship programme supporting young women entering the technology sector. The initiative advances the Morocco Digital 2030strategy by providing internships, training and industry mentorship opportunities for female technology graduates. (Morocco World News)
Zambia pilots AI learning tools in schools
#Zambia #education — Zambia’s Ministry of Technology and Science has signed an agreement with UK firm Obrizum Group to pilot AI-powered learning tools in secondary schools and Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training institutions. The programme, launching in April this year, aims to personalise lessons, improve engagement and prepare students with digital skills for the modern workforce. (Ecofin Agency)
SMU programme champions inclusive AI
#SouthAfrica #education — A new initiative at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University is encouraging young innovators to develop AI technologies designed for inclusive social impact. By combining student research, digital skills training and community-focused projects, the programme aims to broaden participation in AI development while positioning the university as a hub for ethical technology innovation. (SMU)
LLMs
Algeria building national AI models
#Algeria #LLMS — Algeria’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-enterprises is developing national AI models tailored to the country’s languages, culture and data. The initiative aims to support economic development and strengthen technological independence. (Radio Algeria)
Egypt unveils Karnak sovereign AI model
#Egypt #applications — Egypt introduced Karnak at AI Everything MEA summit last month in Cairo. Lost a little in the noise, Karnak is a 30-40B sovereign AI model designed to support Arabic language processing and local digital innovation, during a global AI summit in Cairo. Officials say the system aims to strengthen national technological independence while enabling businesses and public institutions to build services tailored to regional linguistic and cultural contexts. (Ecofin Agency)
Applications
UK–South Africa project boosts AI astronomy
#SouthAfrica #applications — Researchers from the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre and the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) collaborating on the Intelligent Observatory programme, an astronomy project using AI to analyse massive datasets generated by modern telescopes. The partnership aims to accelerate discoveries by improving how astronomical observations are processed, helping scientists detect new cosmic phenomena while strengthening international research cooperation. (Innovation News Network)
ADCB Egypt adopts AI fraud monitoring
#Egypt #applications — UAE-based ADCB Egypt and Network International have launched a new AI-based system to detect fraudulent financial transactions. By analysing payment data in real time, the platform aims to help banks and merchants respond more rapidly to suspicious activity while strengthening trust in Egypt’s growing digital payments ecosystem. (Zawya)
Egypt launches national digital pathology network
#Egypt #diagnostics - Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population has partnered with Roche Diagnostics to establish a national digital pathology network. The initiative will digitise pathology samples and deploy artificial intelligence tools to accelerate cancer diagnosis and improve accuracy across multiple medical centres nationwide. (Daily News Egypt)
e-Government
Ghanaian trade group challenges ports AI contract in court
#Ghana #policy — Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has launched legal action against the Ghana Revenue Authority over a disputed AI-related contract with “Truedare Investments” to implement AI in Ghana’s key port, covered in AfricaAINews in January. The company claims irregularities in the procurement process, that Truedare is a one-year-old Cyprus-registered trading company with no track record in tech or AI, and is seeking judicial review. (Modern Ghana)
Mozambique sets digital government roadmap
#Mozambique #policy — Mozambique has outlined a national roadmap for digital government during its first National Conference on Digital Transformation in Maputo. Organised by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Transformation, the event brought together government, industry, academia and development partners to coordinate reforms aimed at modernising public services and expanding citizen access to digital platforms. (iAfrica)
Malawi judiciary explores AI for justice system even as government Internet collapses
#Malawi #policy — Malawi’s judiciary is examining the role of AI in improving court administration and legal processes as digital technologies increasingly shape justice systems. Officials say emerging tools could support research, translation and case management. At the same time, over 9,000 government sites remain unconnected to the Internet. (Judiciary of Malawi)
Egypt prosecutors receive AI training support
#Egypt #education — UNESCO is working with Egyptian judicial authorities to train public prosecutors on the implications of AI technologies in legal proceedings. The programme focuses on improving skills in handling digital evidence and technology-related cases as courts increasingly encounter complex issues linked to emerging digital tools. (UNESCO)
Data Centres and COEs
Algeria launches EU-backed agritech incubator
#Algeria #agritech — Algeria’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-enterprises has launched an agritech incubation and acceleration programme under the EU-backed Development of Digital and Green Entrepreneurship initiative. Implemented with Germany’s GIZ, the programme supports start-ups building AI, IoT and drone solutions for digital agriculture. (The Startup Scene)
Events
Mauritania spotlights AI at tech forum
#Mauritania #events — A technology forum in Mauritania has brought together officials, academics and entrepreneurs to discuss opportunities linked to AI and digital innovation. Participants emphasised the need for stronger training programmes, investment in infrastructure and policies supporting the growth of the country’s emerging technology sector. (AMI)
[ This newsletter was human initiated and AI perpetuated ]