By Mpho Primus
In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI), Africa's rich linguistic diversity – encompassing over 2,000 languages – is increasingly facing the risk of being side-lined. This disregard for our languages not only perpetuates historical inequalities but also threatens to widen the digital divide, leaving many Africans excluded from the benefits of technological advancements.
To understand the present digital divide, we must acknowledge the historical marginalisation of African languages. In South Africa, colonialism and apartheid policies prioritised English and Afrikaans, while indigenous languages were relegated to informal use. Even after the fall of apartheid, English remains the primary language of business, academia, and digital communication, further marginalising millions of indigenous languages. This historical exclusion has modern consequences – the linguistic marginalisation of the past is now being replicated in the digital age, reinforcing socio-economic disparities.
This marginalisation is not just a technological limitation – it has real-world consequences. It limits access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and e-governance. For instance, a patient who speaks isiXhosa cannot effectively use an English-only chatbot for medical advice. Similarly, a farmer in Limpopo who primarily speaks Xitsonga cannot leverage digital tools to access market prices or weather updates. The digital divide, once thought to be a matter of infrastructure, is now increasingly a matter of language.
Without linguistic inclusion, millions are locked out of the digital economy, unable to leverage e-commerce, online education, or digital banking. Governments seeking to roll out digital public services struggle with adoption rates, as non-English-speaking communities find these services inaccessible. In education, children learning in their mother tongues perform better academically. Yet, the absence of AI-driven learning tools in indigenous languages means African students continue to rely on a system that does not cater to their linguistic realities.
The economic cost of this exclusion is a real-life problem that cannot be ignored. A workforce that cannot fully engage with digital tools is less competitive in the global job market. Entrepreneurs and small businesses that operate in indigenous languages remain cut off from digital platforms that could expand their reach. As AI becomes increasingly central to economic development, Africa risks being left behind simply because its languages are not part of the equation.
The reason African languages are not well-represented in AI is not due to a lack of demand but a lack of investment. Natural Language Processing (NLP), a branch of AI that enables machines to understand human language, requires extensive datasets and computational power. However, most African languages are considered “low-resource”, meaning they lack the large annotated datasets necessary for AI training. Additionally, linguistic diversity itself poses a challenge, as AI models must account for dialectal variations and code-switching, which are common in African communication.
Major tech companies and governments have historically underinvested in developing these datasets. Without significant efforts to create and standardise linguistic resources, AI developers struggle to build effective models for African languages. The result? A self-perpetuating cycle where the lack of data leads to a lack of technological development, which in turn reinforces linguistic exclusion. Beyond economics, the erasure of African languages from AI has cultural implications. Language is more than just a tool for communication; it is a carrier of identity, history, and knowledge. The absence of African languages in digital spaces risks diminishing their value over time, as younger generations may prioritise global languages for economic reasons. Without digital preservation, African oral traditions, literature, and historical knowledge could be lost.
Furthermore, this exclusion undermines Africa’s ability to contribute to global AI advancements. If AI continues to evolve without African linguistic inclusion, the continent will not only be a consumer of foreign technologies but will also have little say in shaping its development. The digital divide will become a cultural and intellectual divide, cementing Africa’s position on the margins of the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions.
Unlike the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which focused on automation and digital transformation, the Fifth Industrial Revolution is characterised by human-centred AI, ethics, and collaboration between humans and machines. This shift presents a crucial opportunity for Africa to integrate its linguistic heritage into AI development. The Fifth Industrial Revolution calls for inclusivity and sustainability - values that align with Africa’s need for digital equity. If African languages are integrated into AI, the continent not only bridges the digital divide but also position itself as a leader in ethical AI development. The push for human-centred AI means linguistic inclusion must be at the forefront of global AI strategies, and Africa has a unique opportunity to set the pace.
Addressing this issue requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Governments must prioritize digital language policies that promote NLP research and development for African languages. Tech companies must invest in creating linguistic datasets and designing AI models that accommodate African linguistic diversity. Educational institutions must incorporate computational linguistics as well as digital humanities into curricula to train the next generation of African AI developers.
Open-source AI initiatives offer a promising solution. By fostering collaborations between linguists, technologists, and local communities, we can build AI models that truly reflect Africa’s linguistic landscape. African governments should also mandate the inclusion of indigenous languages in digital public services, ensuring that AI-driven governance does not replicate past exclusions.
The future of AI in Africa cannot be one of exclusion. As we commemorate International Mother Language Day, we must go beyond celebration and take action. African languages must not only be preserved but must be fully integrated into the technological landscape. By doing so, we do not just ensure access to AI-driven services; we assert Africa’s rightful place in the digital revolution.
The choice is clear: either we embrace our languages in AI, or we accept a future where Africa remains as an observer, as the train keeps on moving. Investing in linguistic inclusion is not just a technological necessity - it is an economic and moral imperative. A future where AI speaks isiZulu, Sesotho, and Xitsonga is a future where Africa’s potential is truly realised.
* Professor Mpho Primus is Co-Director, Institute for Intelligent System at the University of Johannesburg. She writes in her personal capacity.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.