Navigating the Threats of AI in Africa

Generative AI has been all the hype over the past two years with little having been discussed about its potential negative impacts, some of which are already being experienced. The idea of AI is to scale up human intelligence but it is also bringing with it unprecedented challenges.?Digitally?fuelled dis- and misinformation, especially in contexts of polarization, risks eclipsing quality information, journalism, and access to the truth. While dis- and misinformation are not new they rather have become increasingly prevalent as they are fuelled by new technologies and rapid online dissemination of communications. AI now stands on top of the chain of potentially spreading dis- and misinformation that can have negative impacts.

AI-generated deepfakes and disinformation are increasingly becoming a risk, especially to fledgling African democracies. These democracies have little to no defenses against?AI-generated fakery. In fact, the?societal implications of?this kind of?fakery have not been sufficiently subjected to scrutiny.

Imagine a deepfake video showing the President of a country giving a speech of resignation or engaging in a morally reprehensible activity that can be open to your imagination. This sounds extreme but the potential of AI to generate that kind of content is already accelerating and growing. It is now more real than ever that artificial intelligence can affect real life.

The potential of AI to cause misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information in Africa is quite extensive and has the potential to tear apart nations. This threat is particularly acute in countries that have experienced social and tribal upheavals in the past. Fabrication can be used to torch old wounds with severe social consequences. Deepfake technology has the potential to clone voices in order to enhance believability. This can be used to encourage the commission of crimes. Indeed, high level impersonification can be use to rake up social tension during critical moments, for instance, when there is an election or when there is a national emergency.

According to Forbes.com (2024), “ … even more worrying is the emergence of sophisticated identity theft schemes where criminals use AI to animate stolen ID photos for fraudulent loan applications.”

Against this background, African countries will need to build comprehensive defense strategies to counter the threats presented by Ai-generated misinformation, disinformation and mal-information. Social, educational and technical solutions are increasingly required to combat the threats posed by AI-generated fakery. There is a need to train people on how to spot deep fakes and the requisite steps that should be taken when such malicious content is encountered.

Efforts should be undertaken to educate digital users on how to quickly spot AI-generated misinformation. These efforts need to be scaled up during critical periods such as national elections or emergencies when the risk of misinformation is higher.

More importantly is the need to deploy cybersecurity solutions that include specialized deepfake detection tools and AI-enabled systems that can spot abnormal communication patterns. Multi-factor authentication and encryption also provide a strong defense against complex impersonation and misinformation efforts.

Given that AI is accelerating, African governments will need to put in place proactive measures to stay ahead of the curve. Collaborating with some of the leading actor in AI will be key to putting in place solutions that do not necessarily curtain access to information and freedom of creativity. Adapting to the new AI landscape is not just about maximizing usage but putting in place measure to guard against its misuse. There is a need for a new vigilance to be inculcated into the digital DNA of Africa, and managing this will be key to Africa’s success in the age of AI.

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