Is Zimbabwe ready for the Artificial Intelligence revolution?
Africa is rapidly becoming a focal point in the global artificial intelligence revolution. As nations race to establish governance frameworks, Zimbabwe has stepped forward with an ambitious, UNESCO-supported National AI Strategy.
This past Monday—as part of Lawyers Hub’s weekly series diving into tech policy across the continent—we partnered with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation to unpack this roadmap. Moderated by our Founder and CEO, Linda Bonyo, the session brought together leading experts to explore what this strategy actually means for Zimbabweans.
The Foundation of Ubuntu vs. Infrastructural Realities: Law Tech Strategist Hanani Hlomani, commended the strategy for its agility, noting that it is beautifully grounded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu—the concept of "I am because you are". However, he pointed out a glaring tension: while the policy is progressive on paper, the practical reality is that much of Zimbabwe's data remains trapped in analog formats. Hlomani highlighted that before deploying advanced AI, there must be a massive drive toward digitization. Furthermore, he critiqued the strategy for not adequately addressing the exorbitant cost of internet access, noting that an uncapped connection costs around $120, effectively pricing out the average citizen and hindering true AI inclusivity.
Institutional Capacity and the Liability Gap: Digital Policy Expert Hlengiwe Dube, shifted the focus to the strategy's institutional framework. She praised the approach of not building completely new institutions, but rather upskilling existing government bodies to handle AI regulation. However, she raised critical concerns regarding the protection of citizens. Dube pointed out that the current strategy lacks clear mechanisms for liability, redress, and human override, which are essential for protecting individuals from AI-driven harms like deepfakes.
AI as a Pyramid Scheme and Digital Colonialism: The most provocative perspective came from Adio-Adet Dinika, an AI Researcher at DAIR. He challenged the fundamental narrative of the technology, stating: "AI is neither artificial nor intelligent; it is a pyramid scheme of resources and exploited people". Dinika emphasized that a nation of 16 million people must seriously consider whether it has the resources to build foundational models alone, or if regional cooperation with neighboring countries is necessary to compete against tech monopolies. He also warned against the erasure of local nuances, citing an example of an AI newsreader deployed in Zimbabwe that was unable to correctly pronounce basic Ndebele words.
The Path Forward: Zimbabwe’s strategy is a vital first step, but the consensus from our panel is clear: policy must be matched by infrastructural investment, regional collaboration, and robust protections for digital rights.
Lawyers Hub hosts these vital tech policy discussions focusing on different African nations every Monday. Do not miss out on the conversation.
Watch the full recording of the Zimbabwe AI Strategy dialogue below.
