Ama Pratt Calls for Homegrown Leadership in African AI
African nations must take a leading role in shaping the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, rather than merely adopting them, the Spokesperson and Press Secretary to the Vice-President, Ama Pratt, has said. She made the call at the 2026 edition of Nyansa Futures, a two-day conference organised by the Beyond AI Initiative at the Academic City University in Accra from August 14 to 15.
Beyond Technology Adoption
Africa cannot afford to approach AI as a consumer of foreign technologies, Pratt argued. While Africans should learn from global technology companies and research institutions, the continent must equally ask questions that respond directly to its own development challenges. She pointed to possible applications of AI in education, agriculture, healthcare, public communication, employment, cultural preservation, and democratic participation.
Pratt asked questions such as, "How can AI improve access to quality education in communities with limited resources?" She also noted that ownership of AI would begin with Africans defining their own problems, developing appropriate solutions, and building institutions capable of governing the technology and ensuring that its benefits were broadly shared. That would require reliable connectivity, access to computing resources, stronger educational and research institutions, investment in local innovation, data protection systems, and clear accountability standards.
AI and Public Trust
Pratt cautioned against viewing AI solely through the lens of technological opportunity, saying the technology could equally amplify misinformation and deepen existing inequalities if not responsibly governed. She noted that AI systems could generate articles, images, videos, voices, and messages within seconds, while also creating opportunities for research, business, public administration, education, and creative expression. However, she warned that the same technologies could generate false information at unprecedented speed, imitate real people, and make fabricated content appear credible.
Pratt urged journalists, public officials, technology companies, researchers, and citizens to play their respective roles in building public understanding and confidence in AI. She said the media has a responsibility to investigate claims, question exaggerated promises, and help the public understand both the opportunities and the risks. Citizens must also resist the temptation to circulate unverified information and demand accountability from institutions developing and deploying AI systems.
Women in AI Leadership
A significant part of Pratt's address focused on the need for women to participate fully in the development and governance of AI. She said the exclusion of women from technology design, leadership, policymaking, and resource allocation could result in systems that fail to reflect the experiences of half of the population. "Women must be present," she stressed, adding that the participation of women is essential if Africa is to avoid reproducing existing inequalities through new technologies.
Pratt said AI development should take into account the experiences of women in agriculture, finance, education, the creative industries, and public service, as well as women using technology to run businesses or access healthcare information. She urged young women to acquire technical skills while also developing an understanding of history, culture, law, ethics, and human behaviour.
A Call to Action
Pratt challenged young Africans to see themselves as active participants in the AI revolution rather than passive users. She urged young people to acquire technical skills while also developing an understanding of history, culture, law, ethics, and human behaviour. She said young people needed to be present in laboratories, newsrooms, universities, government institutions, businesses, and policy discussions where decisions about AI were being made.
Ultimately, Pratt said Africa's AI future should be shaped by the people whose lives the technology would affect. She encouraged the Beyond AI Initiative to continue creating platforms such as Nyansa Futures where policymakers, academics, innovators, students, civil society, and communities could engage one another on the implications of emerging technologies.
Source: Joy Online
