By Addis Getachew
The risks posed to Africa by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology could outweigh potential benefits, warns an expert at the Institute for Security Studies.
“AI is a double-edged sword. While it holds immense potential to accelerate Africa’s development and help us leapfrog traditional pathways, it also presents serious risks – especially in fragile contexts where institutions are weak,” stated Adivhaho Ramaite, a top-notch AI expert with the ISS based in South Africa, wrote in an exclusive email interview with The Reporter.
Concerns over the potential security risks posed by AI were reflected in the inaugural policy address by newly sworn in chair of the African Union Commission, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf. The address, which marked the start of his five-year term, was dedicated almost entirely to AI and what it is capable of in the hands of non-state actors.
“Today, in Africa, we still experience threats such as armed conflict, terrorism, corruption, and entrenched inequalities. And with AI’s ability to spread rapidly, the introduction of complex ethical and security concerns now exist. In this context of its potential misuse by non-state actors, cybercriminals, and terrorist groups – a phenomenon we are already witnessing,” said the Chairperson.
Miss Ramaite concurs.
“The threat is real: if left unchecked, these misuses could erode democratic gains and deepen insecurity,” said the expert.
An article published by the Brookings Institute indicates that AI technologies appeal to resource-poor non-state actors by giving them the capability to overcome imbalances with comparatively resource-rich states.
“They have two main avenues for acquiring AI-enabled technology. The first is through commercially-available AI and resources like YouTube videos that provide manuals to build automated turrets to detect and fire munitions via a Raspberry PI computer and 3D printing,” reads the report, titled “Cascading Chaos: Nonstate Actors and AI on The Battlefield”.
The second avenue is through state actor-led development that is exported, it states.
The report reveals non-state actors have already begun to use drones, with at least 440 cases identified.
In a recent speech defending US attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen, US President Donald Trump said the group were “not dumb”, suggesting that they manufacture AI-based tools for their attacks.
“If left unchecked, AI will amplify these threats, exploiting disinformation, cyber-attacks, and even autonomous weapons,” said the AUC Chair.
His policy speech also addressed the opportunities AI presents for Africa.
“AI offers new opportunities to counter this destabilizing threat to many of our countries. AI powered surveillance tools can track terrorist movements, analyze suspicious financial transactions, and detect radicalization patterns on social media platforms,” said Youssouf.
“AI is also transforming financial intelligence tracking, as we observe terrorist groups move to using digital currencies and informal banking networks to finance their activities. Through AI-driven forensic analysis, illicit cash flows can identify abnormal financial behaviors, to disrupt the financing of terrorist operations.”
In Somalia, where militant groups such as Al-Shabaab, ISIS and Al Qaeda roam, anonymous sources told The Reporter that security and peacekeeping forces have reason to suspect the use of AI in attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Ramaite says AI is also being misused by dictatorial governments (state actors) to harass their own people and stifle dissent.
“Governments all around the world are increasingly using high-tech tools, including AI, to monitor citizens, suppress dissent, or control narratives – often under the banner of national security,” she said, adding, “This is not just an African issue, but a global one, and it demands vigilance from the international community.”
The expert argues that Africa needs to build a strong foundation for governance to tackle the risks associated with the use of AI.
“We need to ensure these are implemented, monitored, and regularly updated to respond to emerging threats,” said Ramaite, citing data protection laws already signed by 36 African countries. “The African Union has a critical role to play here – not just in advocating for continental alignment through frameworks like the AU’s Data Policy Framework, the Malabo Convention, and the continental AI strategy but also in supporting member states with the resources, technical know-how, and political will to enforce these protections.”
Youssouf also suggested solutions.
“Our approach must be to pursue a balanced approach – one that maximizes AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks. Although AI may seem in its formative phase, it is crucial for Africa to take an active role in shaping its governance. We must ensure AI continues to be used for peace and stability, rather than as a new tool for conflict among states,” he said.
He commended the AU Peace and Security Council for taking proactive action and including AI on its agenda.
Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Antonio Pedro questions if Africa can be said to have joined the global digital race.
“Emerging technologies – AI, quantum computing, and robotics – offer Africa the chance to leapfrog outdated models of development,” Pedro said in a speech he delivered at an April 7 meeting held in Kampala, Uganda. “We must embrace these frontiers not as distant futures, but as urgent priorities. The global AI market alone is projected to reach 1.8 trillion dollars by 2030, yet Africa currently holds just one percent of that market,” he said.
