Analysis by Xinhua writers Liu Youmin and Huang Wei
NAIROBI/BEIJING – Not long ago, China’s AI model DeepSeek drew global attention for its affordability, high performance and open-source design.
Across Africa, DeepSeek has sparked lively debate. Media and industry insiders argue that its introduction has ignited fresh hopes, as artificial intelligence could “inspire a new wave of innovation across the continent.”
CHINA-DEVELOPED AI DRIVES INNOVATION
“Imagine AI-powered tools helping farmers optimize crop yields, or chatbots providing healthcare advice in remote villages. Imagine AI-driven education platforms teaching children in rural areas.” This is not science fiction, but the future DeepSeek could help create, according to an article published by AI Mind, titled “How DeepSeek Could Bring the AI Revolution to Africa.”
The business magazine African Business said DeepSeek is a more cost-efficient AI model, raising “African hopes” for solving social and economic challenges.
The article quoted Kennedy Chengeta, a South Africa-based AI entrepreneur and academic, who said that cost has been “one of the most significant barriers to AI adoption in Africa.” By offering affordable, pre-trained models that require less computational power, DeepSeek “enables businesses to adopt AI without the need for significant investment in infrastructure or talent,” he said. “This could level the playing field for SMEs and entrepreneurs, allowing them to develop innovative solutions tailored to local needs.”
In the global AI market, the United States and other Western nations have long held dominance, often marginalizing the Global South, including Africa.
However, the emergence of DeepSeek, as noted by the weekly news publication Vellum Kenya, proves that “AI innovation is not exclusive to Silicon Valley.”
Another Kenyan publication, Techish, said that DeepSeek’s open-source nature “not only facilitates adoption but also encourages local customization. Developers in diverse regions can adapt the platform to meet specific needs, fostering innovation tailored to local challenges.”
Moreover, DeepSeek’s model provides opportunities to address “the biases inherent in AI systems,” Techish said, adding that “China’s embrace of open-source AI could position it as a champion of collaborative, global innovation.”
According to the African Gazette, a London-based media group specializing in African news, what truly sets China’s AI apart is “its commitment to localization.” The publication said that “whether it is analyzing agricultural data in Swahili or diagnosing diseases in remote clinics, DeepSeek is engineered to serve the underserved.”
DeepSeek approaches “inclusivity as never seen before,” making it “a strong selling point for the expansive markets of the Global South,” the African Gazette added.
AI DEVELOPMENT ACCELERATING IN AFRICA
With rapid industrialization, urbanization and a large young population, Africa is emerging as a prime hub for AI development and application.
Although Africa currently accounts for only 2.5 percent of the global AI market, recent estimates suggest that AI could boost the continent’s economy by US$2.9 trillion by 2030, equivalent to a 3.0 percent annual increase in GDP, according to an assessment by the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association.
The Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan think tank, estimates that AI could contribute US$1.2 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2030 if the continent captures just 10 percent of the fast-growing global AI market.
Data from the African Union (AU) shows that more than 2,400 organizations across Africa are actively working on AI innovation, 41 percent of which are startups operating in industries such as healthcare, agriculture, education, law and insurance.
As reported by Nigeria’s Business Day, investors put US$641 million into AI-enabled startups across African countries between 2022 and 2023.
In recent years, six African nations, namely Algeria, Benin, Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda and Senegal, have developed standalone AI strategies. Meanwhile, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda are integrating AI into broader frameworks addressing emerging technologies, such as blockchain, or within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, according to the AU.
CHINA, AFRICA JOIN HANDS TO BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Artificial intelligence has become more important in China-Africa cooperation, helping facilitate Africa’s modernization through digital infrastructure development and talent training.
Through initiatives like the Digital Silk Road, China’s cooperation with Global South countries in digital technology has yielded significant results. Over the years, Chinese enterprises have leveraged various funding sources to support the development of digital infrastructure, including power, telecommunications networks and large-scale data centers.
Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese enterprises have helped African countries build and upgrade 66,000 km of new transmission lines and 150,000 km of communication backbone networks, in addition to constructing numerous wireless sites and high-speed mobile broadband networks.
At the same time, China has intensified technology transfer efforts, encouraging its companies to apply AI solutions to drive local industrial growth. In the realm of AI and digital talent development, collaboration has taken multiple forms, including joint research, short-term training programs and academic exchanges.
In terms of AI applications, in Kenya, for example, Huawei has partnered with the local government to optimize urban traffic management using AI-powered monitoring, improving city efficiency. In South Africa, Huawei’s cloud computing and AI services are supporting the country’s fintech sector. In Ethiopia, Chinese AI firm 4Paradigm developed a computer-aided maintenance management system for the Gibe III Hydropower Station, significantly enhancing the efficiency of hydropower operations, maintenance, and production.
Sun Hong, deputy director of the Institute of African Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that AI applications could help modernize Africa’s traditional industries, from manufacturing to agriculture, while also helping governments digitalize public services and improve governance systems. – Xinhua
