Who will control Africa’s AI infrastructure, and at what cost?
As foreign technology companies invest in data centres, cloud services and AI systems across Africa, how much control will African countries ultimately have over the infrastructure on which those technologies depend?The debate reflects a broader shift in how policymakers are thinking about AI. For years, discussions focused largely on adoption: how governments, businesses and public services could use the technology. Increasingly, attention is turning to ownership, governance and the terms on which AI systems are developed and deployed.Several governments have framed the issue in those terms.
- ▪As foreign technology companies invest in data centres, cloud services and AI systems across Africa, how much control will African countries ultimately have over the infrastructure on which those technologies depend?The debate reflects a br
- ▪For years, discussions focused largely on adoption: how governments, businesses and public services could use the technology.
- ▪Increasingly, attention is turning to ownership, governance and the terms on which AI systems are developed and deployed.Several governments have framed the issue in those terms.
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News|TechnologyWho will control Africa’s AI infrastructure, and at what cost?Data centres and AI systems are expanding across Africa, bringing new pressure on energy and resources.ListenListen (9 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoAfrica’s artificial intelligence (AI) boom is being built at speed, but the physical infrastructure behind it remains uneven [File: Dado Ruvic/Illustration via Reuters]By Aaliyah VayezPublished On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026Johannesburg, South Africa – In April, African Union ministers gathered in Tangier, Morocco, to discuss artificial intelligence at a moment when governments across the continent are racing to develop AI strategies, attract investment and expand digital…
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