Ethiopia pushes for domestic AI; S. Africa clears path for Starlink
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on African nations to develop homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) to propel the region's development.
In his keynote address at the Ethiopian Technology Expo, Ahmed stated that Africa must shape its own technological destiny with AI after decades of adhering to Western standards.
'Africa must not be a passive recipient of AI tools developed elsewhere. We must become innovators and owners of our future, ensuring that no one is left behind in this transformation,' he stated.
Ahmed is the latest to call for local AI solutions in Africa, a region whose needs are rarely addressed by Western technology. AI could exacerbate the divide even further; a United Nations report last month revealed that over 120 countries, mostly in the global south, have been left out of the global AI development, which could widen economic inequalities.
'With a clear strategic vision and bold investment, Africa can guide the development of AI on its own terms—anchored in ethical frameworks, inclusion, and sustainability,' Ahmed stated.
He added that AI could usher in a new era 'that holds the promise of inclusive prosperity for our continent, driven by homegrown innovations in AI.' Africans must not rely on foreign solutions, which rarely account for the region's nuanced challenges and its diversity.
Africa's AI development has been limited by poor infrastructure. A separate UN report revealed that only 5% of the region's AI developers have access to the computing power they would require to build AI applications.
Starlink setting foot in South Africa
Elsewhere, South Africa is set to amend a law that requires telecom firms to be at least 30% black-owned to enable Elon Musk's Starlink to operate in the country.
The decision, announced on Tuesday, comes at a time when tensions between Africa's most industrialized nation and the United States are at a boiling point. U.S. President Donald Trump and Musk have accused the South African government of orchestrating a genocide against white residents, a claim that the African nation has refuted, and which one court has dismissed as 'clearly imagined and not real.' Still, Trump has persisted, and last week, the U.S. welcomed the first batch of South Africans as refugees. Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are set to have a meeting this week in Washington, and the decision to amend the black ownership law is seen as an effort to smooth things over before the crucial meeting.
'We're not doing it for Musk'
The law being amended—known as the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) law—was introduced in the '90s as South Africa abandoned apartheid, which had significantly disadvantaged the black majority. It requires companies in some industries, such as IT, telecoms, and automotive, to be at least 30% owned by black entrepreneurs.
Starlink, where Musk has 79% control, was to set up operations in South Africa last year after successful debuts in 20 other African nations. However, it didn't meet the BEE threshold, and since then, Musk has ramped up criticism against the Ramaphosa government. The X and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO was born in Pretoria, the South African capital, but relocated to Canada at 17.
'I am in a situation where I was born in South Africa, but cannot get a license to operate Starlink because I am not Black,' he told Bloomberg this week.
The South African government has finally bowed to the pressure and will amend the BEE law, allowing Starlink to set up in the country, home to 61 million people. Experts say the timing of the move suggests that Ramaphosa is using it to appease Trump ahead of their meeting.
However, the South African government has denied the allegations, claiming it's 'part of a broader strategy to create an enabling environment for international investment and expand digital connectivity across South Africa.'
The move is part of the government's medium-term plans, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies told media outlets.
However, some in the country's political landscape remain opposed to Starlink's entry. Economic Freedom Fighters, the top opposition party, says the move is unconstitutional and 'exposes Ramaphosa as willing to compromise on our sovereignty to massage the inflated ego of Elon Musk and Donald Trump,' the party's spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo stated.
'These powers are governed by national legislation and independent regulators, not the whims of one man desperate for foreign approval,' he added. The party has vowed to fight against the move 'in the courts, and on the streets.'
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