Africa's AI Roadmap: Sovereignty, Strategy & Building Local Solutions
In this episode of Embedded, host Zain Verjee speaks with Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo, a Governance Studies Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation. As a computer science expert specializing in the impact of AI on the Global South, Dr. Okolo shares her experience consulting with the African Union on their Artificial Intelligence Continental Strategy. The conversation explores the unique challenges Africa faces with AI adoption, the importance of data sovereignty, tackling misinformation, and building AI systems that truly represent African values and contexts. From healthcare applications to language models, Dr. Okolo offers insights on how Africa can chart its own course in AI development while addressing persistent issues of bias and representation.
Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo
Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo is a Governance Studies Fellow at the Brookings Institution in the Center for Technology Innovation. Her expertise spans computer science with a focus on AI's impact in the Global South. As a Consulting Expert with the African Union, she contributed to the development of the AU-AI Continental Strategy, which aims to promote responsible AI adoption, development, and governance across African Union member states. Dr. Okolo also serves as an Ethics Advisor to the Equiano Institute, a research lab focused on steering safe and trustworthy AI in Africa. Her research examines the intersection of healthcare, AI ethics, and governance in emerging economies.