Who Benefits From Africa’s AI? Inside the New Data Colonialism
AI is quietly rebuilding Africa’s digital life—from what we watch to what we buy. A new chapter by Ndaka, Avila‑Acosta, Mbula‑Ndaka, Amera, Chauke, and Majiwa asks: who holds the power?
Using six months of participant observation and talks with Kenyan social media users, they show how recommendation algorithms can echo colonial-era control—boosting outside interests, muting local voices, and reinforcing harmful gender norms.
When data flows follow old power lines, digital life inherits old injustices.
The authors call for response-ability: AI that answers to communities, recognizes alternative socio-material worlds, and shares value fairly—vital for Africa’s sustainable development.
- Demand transparency on data flows and recommendation logic
- Invest in local data stewardship and community oversight
- Build gender-aware, culturally grounded AI products
Read more: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19283v1
Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19283v1
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