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Paper short abstract:

In this paper we explore the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), cultural intelligence (CQ) and how applied africology as a new approach to African abstract and concrete reasoning can usher in a new age of prosperity for Africa; we use storytelling as a practice-led research tool.

Paper long abstract:

Centuries of oppression have prevented most African countries from speaking their languages or practicing their cultures, causing serious identity crises. We can see how it impacted economics, society and environment.

To solve this problem and help propel African storytelling into the modern age it is important to understand the continent as a whole. Technology is moving fast, carrying with it the might of the stories from the countries where a given technology was invented.

In Applied Africology, rather than trying to solve a problem as it would be in a different context, we explore the given problem within its African context and may re-interpret or restructure it in order to suggest a relevant path to a solution.

We will delve into the potential threats posed by AI systems that lack cultural sensitivity, drawing on historical experiences of colonialism, imperialism, and slavery to highlight the importance of preserving and promoting cultural diversity in the age of AI. By examining generative AI, post-scarcity, and the so-called singularity, we will uncover the role that diverse and representative data sets play in fostering culturally intelligent AI.

I use practice-led research methodologies, and practical examples in the form of: The film "The Africologist" (2022), the Book "The Last Storyteller" (Summer 2023) and the XR/AR enabled to come up with unique ways of telling African stories for the future (https://africologist.com).