Towards a critical discourse on artificial intelligence and its misalignment in sub-Saharan Africa: Through an equality, equity, and decoloniality lens

• Published in: Journal of education (Durban) no. 98; pp. 42 - 61
• Main Authors: Dlamini, Reuben, Ndzinisa, Nqobile
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: University of KwaZulu-Natal on behalf of the South African Education Research Association 28.03.2025
• Subjects: Education & Educational Research; Education, Scientific Disciplines; Education, Special; sub-Saharan Africa; technological rationality; decoloniality; equality; equity; artificial intelligence
• ISSN: 0259-479X; 2520-9868; 2520-9868
• DOI: 10.17159/2520-9868/i98a03

There is some technological rationality in the discourse on artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector outside the socio-economic realities of sub-Saharan Africa. We argue that the discourse on AI in education often concentrates on utopian perspectives from advanced industrial societies as a tool to resolve socio-economic crisis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to scrutinise the AI space in education, and unpack and delineate the AI concept because digital inequalities remain a crucial concern in developing economies. The dominant AI narrative from advanced industrial societies promotes the benefits of AI, and therefore, this article applied the digital equity and decolonial lenses to reflect on the multifaceted impact of AI in education and the consequences of digital inequity in sub-Saharan Africa. Our argument is that any technological rationality in the emergence of AI could worsen existing disparities instead of fostering inclusivity. The analysis of various frameworks and the imbalance AI narratives through an equality, equity, and decoloniality lens scientifically grounded this research.