Anika Altaf
Executive Director of INCLUDE
The design authority over AI and digital public infrastructure is highly concentrated among a small number of countries and corporations, yet these systems are widely deployed across the Global South. When a country uses externally developed AI systems, relies on external data for training, and cannot audit system decisions, this effectively constitutes a cession of sovereignty. Three response pathways exist: first, integrating into existing systems, which provides rapid access to technology but at the cost of dependency and limited voice; second, fully independent development, which is not feasible for most countries; and third, actively participating in shaping rules during the process of system construction. Specific measures include designing digital public infrastructure with sovereignty safeguards as a prerequisite, cultivating indigenous AI capabilities, strengthening data governance, forming collective bargaining power through regional coordination, and participating in global standard-setting through continental-level coordination.Sovereignty in the AI era will be largely determined by those who build the systems upon which the world depends. Regional initiatives such as the African Union’s AI Strategy and the African Continental Free Trade Area’s digital economy strategy represent important mechanisms for Global South countries to build autonomous governance capacity.
