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Ethical governance at centre of Africa AI talks

Ghana is set to host the Pan African AI and Innovation Summit 2026 in Accra, reinforcing its ambition to shape Africa’s digital future. The gathering will centre on ethical artificial intelligence, youth empowerment and cross-sector partnerships.

Advocates argue that AI systems must be built on local data to reflect African realities. Many global models rely on datasets developed outside the continent, limiting contextual relevance. Prioritising indigenous data, they say, will improve outcomes across agriculture, healthcare, education and finance.

National institutions are central to that effort. The National Information Technology Agency and the Data Protection Commission have strengthened digital infrastructure and privacy oversight.

Leaders now call for a shift from foundational regulation to active enablement. Expanded cloud capacity, high-performance computing and clearer ethical AI guidelines are seen as critical next steps.

Supporters believe coordinated governance and infrastructure investment can generate skilled jobs and position Ghana as a continental hub for responsible AI innovation.

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Tokyo semiconductor profits surge amid AI boom

Major semiconductor companies in Tokyo have reported strong profit growth for the April to December period, buoyed by rising demand for AI related chips. Several firms also raised their full year forecasts as investment in AI infrastructure accelerates.

Kioxia expects net profit to climb sharply for the year ending in March, citing demand from data centres in Tokyo and devices equipped with on device AI. Advantest and Tokyo Electron also upgraded their outlooks, pointing to sustained orders linked to AI applications.

Industry data suggest the global chip market will continue expanding, with World Semiconductor Trade Statistics projecting record revenues in 2026. Growth is being driven largely by spending on AI servers and advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

In Tokyo, Rapidus has reportedly secured significant private investment as it prepares to develop next generation chips. However, not all companies in Japan share the optimism, with Screen Holdings forecasting lower profits due to upfront capacity investments.

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Study warns against using AI for Valentine’s messages

Psychologists have urged caution over using AI to write Valentine’s Day messages, after research suggested people judge such use negatively in intimate contexts.

A University of Kent study surveyed 4,000 participants about their perceptions of people who relied on AI to complete various tasks. Respondents viewed AI use more negatively when it was applied to writing love letters, apologies, and wedding vows.

According to the findings, people who used AI for personal messages were seen as less caring, less authentic, less trustworthy, and lazier, even when the writing quality was high, and the AI use was disclosed.

The research forms part of the Trust in Moral Machines project, supported by the University of Exeter. Lead researcher Dr Scott Claessens said people judge not only outcomes, but also the process behind them, particularly in socially meaningful tasks.

Dr Jim Everett, also from the University of Kent, said relying on AI for relationship-focused communication risks signalling lower effort and care. He added that AI could not replace the personal investment that underpins close human relationships.

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AI visibility becomes crucial in college search

Growing numbers of students are using AI chatbots such as ChatGPT to guide their college search, reshaping how institutions attract applicants. Surveys show nearly half of high school students now use artificial intelligence tools during the admissions process.

Unlike traditional search engines, generative AI provides direct answers rather than website links, keeping users within conversational platforms. That shift has prompted universities to focus on ‘AI visibility’, ensuring their information is accurately surfaced by chatbots.

Institutions are refining website content through answer engine optimisation to improve how AI systems interpret their programmes and values. Clear, updated data is essential, as generative models can produce errors or outdated responses.

College leaders see both opportunity and risk in the trend. While AI can help families navigate complex choices, advisers warn that trust, accuracy and the human element remain critical in higher education decision-making.

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AI in Africa accelerates a critical shift in economic development

AI is being positioned as a transformative driver of Africa’s economic future. A roadmap unveiled by the African Development Bank estimates that AI could generate up to $1 trillion in additional GDP by 2035, representing nearly one-third of the continent’s current output.

However, the opportunity is time-sensitive. Delays in implementation risk widening digital inequalities and increasing dependence on technologies developed elsewhere. Early progress, particularly by 2026, is considered essential to sustain momentum and attract long-term investment.

Rather than distributing AI evenly across the economy, the roadmap prioritises five sectors expected to capture most gains: agriculture, wholesale and retail, manufacturing, finance, and health. This targeted approach reflects resource constraints and the need to demonstrate measurable impact in high-employment and high-growth industries.

Despite its potential, Africa faces structural constraints. The continent accounts for only a small share of global AI compute capacity, while data infrastructure and cloud presence remain limited. Without expanded data centres, affordable computing resources, and improved connectivity, AI deployment may remain uneven.

The strategy rests on five core enablers: data, compute, skills, trust, and capital. Each pillar presents challenges, particularly in ensuring data accessibility, building technical expertise, and mobilising sustainable investment. Skills development is especially critical, as Africa represents a small portion of the global AI talent pool and significant literacy gaps persist.

The roadmap outlines three implementation phases between 2025 and 2035: ignition, consolidation, and scale. Success will depend on coordinated action, early infrastructure development, and cross-border collaboration.

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UN General Assembly appoints experts to the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI

The UN General Assembly has appointed 40 experts to serve on a newly created Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, marking the launch of the first global scientific body dedicated to assessing the technology’s impact. The panel, established by a 2025 Assembly resolution, will produce annual evidence-based reports examining AI’s opportunities, risks and broader societal effects.

The members, selected from more than 2,600 candidates, will serve in their personal capacity for a three-year term running from February 2026 to February 2029. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, ‘we now have a multidisciplinary group of leading AI experts from across the globe, geographically diverse and gender-balanced, who will provide independent and impartial assessments of AI’s opportunities, risks and impacts, including to the new Global Dialogue on AI Governance’.

The appointments were approved by a recorded vote of 117 in favour to two against, Paraguay and the United States, with two abstentions from Tunisia and Ukraine. The United States requested a recorded vote, strongly objecting to the panel’s creation and arguing that it represents an ‘overreach of the UN’s mandate and competence’.

Other countries pushed back against that view. Uruguay, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, stressed the call for ‘comprehensive international frameworks that guarantee the fair inclusion of developing countries in shaping the future of AI governance’.

Several delegations highlighted the technology’s potential to improve public services, expand access to education and healthcare, and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Supporters of the initiative argued that AI’s global and interconnected nature requires coordinated governance. Spain, co-facilitator of the resolution that created the panel, stressed that AI ‘generates an interdependence that demands governance frameworks that no State can build by itself’ and offered to host the panel’s first in-person meeting.

The European Union and others underlined the importance of scientific excellence, independence and integrity to ensure the panel’s credibility.

The United Kingdom emphasised that trust in the Panel’s independence, scientific rigour, integrity and ability to reflect diverse perspectives are ‘essential ingredients for the Panel’s legitimacy and for its reports to be widely utilised’. China urged the Panel to prioritise capacity-building as a ‘core issue’ in its future work, and Iran urged that the ‘voice of developing countries must be heard’, and that such states must be empowered to benefit from impartial scientific guidance.

Ukraine, while supporting the initiative, expressed concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving an expert nominated by Russia.

In parallel with the AI appointments, the Assembly named two new members to the Joint Inspection Unit, the UN’s independent oversight body responsible for evaluations and investigations across the system. It also noted that Ghana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Togo had reduced their arrears below the threshold set by Article 19 of the UN Charter, which can suspend a country’s voting rights if dues remain unpaid for two full years.

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AI anxiety strains the modern workforce

Mounting anxiety is reshaping the modern workplace as AI alters job expectations and career paths. Pew Research indicates more than a third of employees believe AI could harm their prospects, fuelling tension across teams.

Younger workers feel particular strain, with 92% of Gen Z saying it is vital to speak openly about mental health at work. Communicators and managers must now deliver reassurance while coping with their own pressure.

Leadership expert Anna Liotta points to generational intelligence as a practical way to reduce friction and improve trust. She highlights how tailored communication can reduce misunderstanding and conflict.

Her latest research connects neuroscience, including the role of the vagus nerve, with practical workplace strategies. By combining emotional regulation with thoughtful messaging, she suggests that organisations can calm anxiety and build more resilient teams.

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Government AI investment grows while public trust falters

Rising investment in AI is reshaping public services worldwide, yet citizen satisfaction remains uneven. Research across 14 countries shows that nearly 45% of residents believe digital government services still require improvement.

Employee confidence is also weakening, with empowerment falling from 87% three years ago to 73% today. Only 35% of public bodies provide structured upskilling for AI-enabled roles, limiting workforce readiness.

Trust remains a growing concern for public authorities adopting AI. Only 47% of residents say they believe their government will use AI responsibly, exposing a persistent credibility gap.

The study highlights an ‘experience paradox’, in which the automation of legacy systems outpaces meaningful service redesign. Leading nations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Singapore rank highly for proactive AI strategies, but researchers argue that leadership vision and structural reform, not funding alone, determine long-term credibility.

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India’s AI market set to surge to over $130 billion by 2032

The AI market in India has expanded from roughly $2.97 billion in 2020 to $7.63 billion in 2024, and is projected to reach $131.31 billion by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 42.2 percent.

The growth outlook is underpinned by systematic progress across five layers of AI architecture, encompassing models, applications, chips, infrastructure and energy, with strong foundational infrastructure such as data centres and widespread internet connectivity enabling cloud adoption and data-driven services across sectors.

India’s acceleration in AI adoption aligns with broader digital trends and policy pushes, with readiness indices and talent penetration indicating that the nation is better positioned than many emerging economies to scale AI across industries.

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Northumbria graduate uses AI to revolutionise cardiovascular diagnosis

Jack Parker, a Northumbria University alumnus and CEO/co-founder of AIATELLA, is leading a pioneering effort to speed up cardiovascular disease diagnosis using artificial intelligence, cutting diagnostic times from over 30 minutes to under 3 minutes, a potential lifesaver in clinical settings.

His motivation stems from witnessing delays in diagnosis that affected his own father, as well as broader health disparities in the North East, where cardiovascular issues often go undetected until later stages.

Parker’s company, now UK-Finnish, is undergoing clinical evaluation with three NHS trusts in the North East (Northumbria, Newcastle, Sunderland), comparing the AI tool’s performance against cardiologists and radiologists.

The technology has already helped identify individuals needing urgent intervention while working with community organisations in the UK and Finland.

Parker credits Northumbria University’s practical and inclusive education pathway, including a foundation degree and biomedical science degree, with providing the grounding to translate academic knowledge into real-world impact.

Support from the university’s Incubator Hub also helped AIATELLA navigate early business development and access funding networks.

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