Learning Agenda on the socio-economic and political impacts of AI in Africa

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to drive significant economic and social transformation across Africa. By 2030, AI could contribute up to $2.9 trillion to the African economy, representing a 3% annual increase in GDP, while lifting 11 million people out of poverty and creating half a million jobs each year. However, AI also carries risks. Without careful governance, it could reinforce structural inequalities, deepen socio-economic divides, and amplify existing power imbalances. Automation may disproportionately affect lower-income workers, while AI systems trained on unrepresentative data may produce outcomes that disadvantage vulnerable communities. Despite the growing influence of AI, global research and policy discussions remain largely dominated by perspectives from the Global North. As a result, there are significant gaps in evidence on how AI will shape African economies, societies, and political systems. To address these gaps, the Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) program supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is advancing research that strengthens the evidence base on AI’s socio-economic and political impacts across Africa. This learning agenda, developed with Genesis Analytics, identifies key research priorities and knowledge gaps to better support policymakers and stakeholders in harnessing AI’s benefits while mitigating risks, particularly those related to inequality.