Adoption of AI in Africa: as countries play catch-up to more mature markets, risks run wild

There is no doubt that 2024 was the year of AI. It went from a debate about its usage, safety and opportunities to a full-blown AI universe available to all, including marketers, brands, agencies and tech providers.

Whether you are for its adoption or not, the reality is that AI has already changed the marketing landscape — and many other sectors — and those who manage, create and promote brands using AI will likely win.

Or will they?

We know the power of AI with respect to its efficiency, data processing, customer experience and generative AI abilities (which, ultimately, will make it harder to discern what is true). A large swathe of people and businesses are using AI in some way. When ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in 2022 — acquiring 200-million weekly active users worldwide since — it fundamentally changed not only the game but the reality we live in, as businesses and professionals, as well as in our personal lives.

While AI has rolled out faster in the developed world, Africa, as a continent of 54 countries, is still experimenting with AI and understanding its (risky) impact. Some parts of Africa are further along the adoption road, while others, such as Uganda and Ivory Coast, lag behind more mature markets. Regardless, AI is here and will continue to grow across the continent, in ways we have never experienced before.

With South Africa as a leading country in terms of implementing AI in business and marketing, the core African players are not too far behind. Nigeria, Kenya and Mauritius are at the cutting edge of adopting this tech innovation — but governmental regulation remains essential; Africa’s regulatory system is not yet geared for this and needs to work with the private sector to educate, empower and uplift the millions living across the diaspora who will be affected.

There is also the challenge of data protection. Targeting audiences is like using a hi-tech crossbow and hitting the bull’s-eye each time thanks to the ability to mine data in milliseconds and do a deep analysis, with the results aimed at the target every time.

With this in mind, the AU has made strides in understanding the impact of AI and its risks, yet poor governance and policymaking remain issues. Policy interventions on AI should be integrated into broader initiatives addressing privacy, security, access to data, protection of intellectual property, human rights and mechanisms for cross-border data sharing. There are important bodies that are pioneering this change with policies such as the AU’s Continental AI Strategy, the AU Data Policy Framework, the AU Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. Without these in place, AI could run dangerously wild.

Africa needs a collective of diverse leaders to guide this monumental shift, which will, no doubt, lead to job losses and further the digital divide; this could cause unrest among those who have not been able to adapt to this new era and will have nowhere to go once it’s in full force. To work ethically, within regulation, AI needs input from governments, civil society, academia, the AI industry, multinational corporations, data protection regulators and human rights defenders from across the continent and the world.

As the MMA SSA, from a marketing perspective, we are aware of the diverse levels of adoption of AI, and the understanding of it, and have been producing evolving programmes on AI in action within business, marketing and society to provide professionals with up-to-date insight on the impact of AI, while recently launching the AI Leadership Coalition (ALC). It goes some way in addressing Africa’s needs, through education and case studies, among other things, on all things AI.

Regardless, the evolution of AI is challenging to keep up with, and Africa is far behind Europe in its adoption; this is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing as AI has yet to be unleashed on communities, societies and individuals, so fake and fact are still intact. Down the line, the truth will be harder to discern. This will have unknown repercussions in the wrong hands; AI will be detrimental. Yet in the right hands it can help to improve, speed up and analyse better than any human ever could. Are we ready for this?

As the leading industry body within this fast-changing space, the MMA is committed to staying on top of this revolution, updating our AI data as needed and sharing it with brands, agencies, tech enablers and publishers. As a collective ecosystem, it is our job to ensure we engage, create dialogue, understand governments’ policies and push ahead to ensure that, while there are many risks — especially for those countries that are behind with respect to legislation, among other things — there are also many benefits, when used appropriately.

The truth is that we as a human race all need to understand and realise the risks and dangers of AI.

AI is a new dawn, like it or not. Few fully understand its impact but are adopting it anyway to stay competitive in this real-time, fast-paced, dog-eat-dog world. The genie in the bottle has been let loose on the world. In response, the MMA’s ALC is here to guide and advise, developing research as it happens, but we — as a sector — need to align and respond accordingly, ideally as public and private partners, or risk all becoming slaves to the machine.

Geoff Masuta is the senior manager: advertising at MTN Group.

The big take-out: Whether you are for its adoption or not, the reality is that AI has already changed the marketing landscape, and those who manage, create and promote brands using AI will likely win.