AI Report on Southern Africa http://misa.org African countries have strong centres of AI competence. It is also critical to stress the need for strong data governance in improving public service delivery and output adapted to the demands of Africa’s growing population. As a result, developing a strong data collection mechanism to aid in the gathering of trustworthy data, establishing mechanisms to detect and avoid AI bias, and encouraging fairness and transparency will all contribute to changing the existing dynamics in many African countries. Section B: AI Deployment in the Region Overall, this study will show that AI use is proliferating in the region, with growing examples of AI applications and innovations, offering significant opportunities for socio-economic development. Significant knowledge and data gaps hinder ethical AI development, regulation, and monitoring. In terms of policy and legislation, many countries have a good legislative basis for ethical AI use. A clear trend exists in producing and adopting reports and laws that cite AI use in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution. However, while policy development and the creation of regulatory mechanisms are underway to harness the benefits of AI in service of national development priorities, ethical risks and challenges exist that can exacerbate inequality and social instability if not adequately and timely addressed. Statista.com data indicates that the AI industry and market size are experiencing growth in Southern Africa. Several factors are contributing to the growth of AI use in the region. The growing accessibility of large datasets is creating greater possibilities for using AI applications, as AI algorithms necessitate significant volumes of data to acquire knowledge and enhance performance. Furthermore, progress in computational capabilities and cloud computing infrastructure facilitates enhanced and potent processing of artificial intelligence applications. In addition, the increasing need for automation and optimisation in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, finance, and transportation, is propelling the implementation of AI technologies. The growing utilisation of AI in consumer-oriented applications, such as virtual assistants and chatbots, is broadening the scope of the AI technology market. The increasing investments and collaborations between technology firms, research institutions, and governments are stimulating innovation and propelling growth in the field of AI. 20