The paper critically explores the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education across Africa.
Long abstract:
This paper examines the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education across Africa, emphasizing the potential benefits and the critical challenges of inadequate data privacy protections. It argues that the transformative promise of AI as a tool for modernization and educational advancement is significantly compromised by the practices of private corporations that fail to safeguard data privacy, leading to a new form of digital colonialism through data mining.
The study highlights instances in Kenya where media reports have raised concerns over privacy violations due to unchecked AI applications. These incidents underscore the urgent need for robust data privacy frameworks to protect individuals’ rights and preserve their autonomy against digital exploitation. By juxtaposing Kenya’s and Tunisia’s roles as emerging African AI hubs, the paper calls for a decolonization approach to using AI in higher education. This approach advocates establishing comprehensive data privacy policies alongside empowering legal and educational measures to mitigate the risks associated with hAI technologies.
The objective is to ensure that AI empowers African societies, facilitating educational excellence while firmly upholding the principles of data privacy and sovereignty.