Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) does not have a universal definition; however, it could be briefly described as man-made synthetic intelligence that is powered by technology and trained to mimic human intelligence at various capacities for problem solving and task optimisation among other designated purposes. Over the last 4 years, the technology has experienced exponential utility across the world due to the emergence of AI consumer products such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, X’s GrockAI, Meta’s Ilama and Google’s Bard, to name a few.
Consequently, the widespread adoption of the technology triggered ethical concerns and discussions surrounding policy and regulatory controls. In response, different countries and multinational organisations have outlined various AI strategies, principles and legislation in some cases. The African Continental Free Trade Area (‘AfCFTA’) Agreement created the largest single market in the world, and it intends to leverage AI through its Digital Trade Protocol and the African Union’s AI strategy for its benefit.
This article will explore the latest regulatory and technical developments in AI across the world and identify the most suitable approaches for the AfCFTA and its member states to benefit from the technology’s potential to solve many of the continent’s longstanding problems.
