Africa’s AI future must be African-led — Ama Pratt

Ama Pratt, the Spokesperson and Press Secretary to the Vice-President of Ghana, has emphasized that Africa must take a leading role in shaping artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, rather than simply adopting existing ones. Pratt spoke at the 2026 edition of Nyansa Futures, a conference organized by the Beyond AI Initiative at Academic City University in Accra, discussing the theme "From Adoption to Ownership: Shaping Africa's AI Future".

She argued that African voices, knowledge, languages, communities, and aspirations should be central to the development of AI, rather than being overlooked by foreign technology companies and research institutions. Pratt stressed the importance of African countries defining their own problems, developing suitable solutions, and establishing institutions to govern AI and ensure its benefits are widely shared.

This would require reliable internet access, computing resources, educational and research institutions, investment in local innovation, data protection systems, and clear accountability standards. The AI expert cautioned against the potential for AI to amplify misinformation and exacerbate inequalities if not properly regulated.

She urged journalists, public officials, technology companies, researchers, and citizens to build public understanding and confidence in AI, as well as resist the spread of unverified information. Pratt also highlighted the crucial role of women in AI development and governance, warning that their exclusion could lead to systems that fail to reflect the experiences of half the population.

She called for women's active participation in technology design, leadership, policymaking, and resource allocation across various sectors, including agriculture, finance, education, the creative industries, and public service. Young Africans were also urged to take charge of the AI revolution by acquiring technical skills and understanding history, culture, law, ethics, and human behavior.

Pratt emphasized the importance of young people being present in various fields, such as laboratories, newsrooms, universities, government institutions, businesses, and policy discussions. She encouraged the Beyond AI Initiative to continue providing platforms for policymakers, academics, innovators, students, civil society, and communities to engage in discussions on emerging technologies.

Pratt emphasized that an African AI model grounded in dignity, inclusion, responsibility, and wisdom should be shaped by the continent's people whose lives the technology would affect.