Africa: Stablecoins Are Gaining Ground As Digital Currency in Africa - How to Avoid Risks

A notification popped up on my LinkedIn the other day. Africans were doing a traditional celebratory dance at the Africa Stablecoin summit in Johannesburg. Read more »

Africa: Internet Shutdowns Are Increasing Dramatically in Africa - a New Book Explains Why

Between 2016 and 2024 there were 193 internet shutdowns imposed in 41 African countries. This form of social control is a growing trend in the continent, according to a new open… Read more »

South Africa: Expensive Data and Poor Internet Access - South Africa Fails to Measure Up Against Brazil

Emerging middle-power countries like South Africa, India and Brazil face growing inequalities. At the same time, everyday lives are becoming more and more digital - from paying… Read more »

South Africa: Machines Whisper Before They Scream - We Built an AI Model That Predicts Expensive Problems

In most industries, maintenance is a waiting game. Things are fixed when they break. But in the 21st century, an age defined by data and automation, that approach no longer makes… Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's Flagship Telescope At 20 - an Eye On the Sky and On the Community

The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) celebrates 20 years of observing the sky. SALT is the largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere. It's been steadily revealing… Read more »

South Africa: AI in the Courtroom - the Dangers of Using ChatGTP in Legal Practice in South Africa

A South African court case made headlines for all the wrong reasons in January 2025. The legal team in Mavundla v MEC: Department of Co-Operative Government and Traditional Affairs… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria's Government Is Using Digital Technology to Repress Citizens. a Researcher Explains How

Digital authoritarianism is a new way governments are trying to control citizens using digital and information technology. It is a growing concern for advocacy groups and those… Read more »

Africa: The Great Wildebeest Migration, Seen From Space - Satellites and AI Are Helping Count Africa's Wildlife

The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the most remarkable natural spectacles on Earth. Each year, immense herds of wildebeest, joined by zebras and gazelles, travel 800-1,000km… Read more »

Africa: African Languages for AI - the Project That's Gathering a Huge New Dataset

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Siri or Google Assistant are developed by the global north and trained in English, Chinese or European languages. In… Read more »

Nigeria: What Do Nigerian Children Think About Computers? Our Study Found Out

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools and technologies effectively, safely and responsibly. This includes the use of smartphones and devices, navigating the internet… Read more »

Kenya: Child Malnutrition in Kenya - AI Model Can Forecast Rates Six Months Before They Become Critical

Globally, nearly half of the deaths of children under five years are linked to malnutrition. In Kenya, it's the leading cause of illness and death among children. Read more »

Nigeria: Vaccines and Motherhood - Are AI Generated Health Messages Working in Kenya and Nigeria?

Picture this: an artificial intelligence (AI) system creates a bright, youth-focused social media post for young Kenyans, complete with local slang and the phrase "YOUNG, LIT, AND… Read more »

Africa: AI in Africa - 5 Issues That Must Be Tackled for Digital Equality

If it's steered correctly, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to accelerate development. It can drive breakthroughs in agriculture. It can expand access to healthcare… Read more »

South Africa: Deepfakes and South African Law - Remedies On Paper, Gaps in Practice

Deepfakes are forgeries of people's faces, voices and likeness generated through artificial intelligence (AI). They create a serious digital deception. Deepfakes undermine… Read more »

South Africa: One in Three South Africans Have Never Heard of AI - What This Means for Policy

Artificial intelligence or AI uses computers to perform tasks that would normally have needed human intelligence. Today AI is being put to use in many aspects of everyday life,… Read more »

Africa: Regulating AI Use Could Stop Its Runaway Energy Expansion

Generative AI promises to help solve everything from climate change to poverty. But behind every chatbot response lies a deep environmental cost. Read more »

Africa: AI Has a Hidden Water Cost - Here's How to Calculate Yours

Artificial intelligence systems are thirsty, consuming as much as 500 milliliters of water - a single-serving water bottle - for each short conversation a user has with the GPT-3… Read more »

Africa: African Women Have Less Access to the Internet Than Men - Solutions the G20 Can Champion

Across Africa, women have less access to the internet than men. In Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania only 15%-28% of women own smartphones. Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo is a feminist… Read more »

Africa: Hype and Western Values Are Shaping AI Reporting in Africa - What Needs to Change

News media shape public understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and influence how society interacts with these technologies. For many people, especially those who have not… Read more »

Africa: South Africa and China Set Up a Quantum Communication Link - How We Did It and Why It's Historic

A major breakthrough in quantum technology was achieved in October 2024: the first-ever quantum satellite communication link between China and South Africa. The connection spanned… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Innovations Are Overlooked Because Global Measures Don't Fit - What Needs to Change

African governments and development agencies have embraced science, technology and innovation as levers for development over the past two decades. Science, technology and… Read more »

South Africa: Smart Cities Start With People, Not Technology - Lessons From Westbury, Johannesburg

African cities are growing at an incredible pace. With this growth comes a mix of opportunity and challenge. How do we build cities that are not only smart but also fair, inclusive… Read more »

Africa: AI Chatbots Can Boost Public Health in Africa - Why Language Inclusion Matters

Language technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) hold significant potential for public health. From outbreak detection systems that scan global news in real time,… Read more »

Africa: Autonomous AI Systems Can Help Tackle Global Food Insecurity

There is a growing and urgent need to address global food insecurity. This urgency is underscored by reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which… Read more »

Africa: Can Academics Use AI to Write Journal Papers? What the Guidelines Say

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to "intelligent machines and algorithms that can reason and adapt based on sets of rules and environments which mimic human intelligence". This… Read more »