The AU’s Question: What 55 Countries Need to Agree on Before Africa Can Govern AI

Africa’s debate over how to govern artificial intelligence is increasingly running into a more basic question: what does the continent need to control, share and build together if it wants AI to deliver value locally? That question ran through the opening day of the African Union’s Open Consultation on AI Governance and Regulation on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, as the AU’s Infrastructure and Energy Department opened a two-day session meant to guide how Africa approaches AI over the coming yea