Artificial Intelligence(AI) in African Philanthropy project

This project aims to analyse the unique potential of philanthropic institutions and strategic partnerships to foster alternative, ethical pathways for synthetic data development, particularly within the African context.

Specifically, the project addresses the following research questions:

1. What are the primary ethical challenges posed by the private sector’s dominance in the global synthetic data industry?
2. How can philanthropic institutions and partnerships effectively influence the development of synthetic data technologies to prioritise ethical considerations, transparency, and public good, particularly in Africa?
3. What innovative funding models and collaborative strategies can philanthropy employ to support open-source, privacy-preserving, and contextually relevant synthetic data generation in Africa?
4. How can philanthropic efforts contribute to building robust data infrastructure, nurturing local talent, and strengthening ethical AI governance frameworks in Africa to ensure synthetic data serves the continent’s developmental needs and promotes AI sovereignty?
5. What are the potential impacts and challenges of philanthropic involvement in shaping Africa’s synthetic data industry, and what recommendations can be made for sustainable and equitable engagement?