With Chinese start-up DeepSeek taking a pivotal role in accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) development across Africa, China is solidifying its presence in the continent’s digital transformation, according to experts.
However, as the continent’s digital landscape rapidly evolves, policymakers face the challenge of establishing effective governance frameworks for this new technology, they added.
Through the Digital Silk Road, a 2015 initiative launched by Beijing, Chinese enterprises have been constructing key digital infrastructure. This includes submarine and terrestrial cables, advanced 5G networks, and data centers. Yu Jia, a senior operations officer at Peking University’s Institute of New Structural Economics, noted that these developments “laid the critical hardware foundation for AI development and adoption” throughout Africa.
Africa has become China’s second-largest global market for contracted engineering projects. Over the past decade, Chinese enterprises have signed engineering deals in Africa totaling over US$700 billion, as reported by China’s State Council. By August 2024, 52 African countries and the African Union had already established agreements with China through its Belt and Road Initiative.
“The adoption and development of AI in Africa is still in its early stages, but it has already demonstrated significant potential, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education and finance,” Yu concluded.
