The University of Cape Town (UCT), in collaboration with the Global Centre on AI Governance (GCG), has introduced the African Hub on AI Safety, Peace and Security.
According to a statement, the hub is designed to ensure that African perspectives are at the centre of global artificial intelligence (AI) safety debates. It aims to support progress and innovation in AI safety, while assisting to conduct research to better understand the impacts of advanced AI and to test risk mitigations.
Over the next three years, the hub will focus on research, capacity strengthening and policy influence.
Partnerships with networks such as Masakhane, Deep Learning Indaba, AfriClimate AI, GRIT and CAIR will support this vision, says UCT.
“This hub is about more than science – it’s about societal impact,” says associate professor Jonathan Shock, the interim director of the UCT AI Initiative.
“Our aim is to ensure Africa’s priorities are represented in global AI debates, while advancing research, building capacity and influencing policy.”
The launch of the hub, which took place in the last week of September, was attended by students, academics, international partners and dignitaries. UCT vice-chancellor, professor Mosa Moshabela; Emily Middleton of the United Kingdom Department of Science, Innovation and Technology; and Maggie Gorman Vélez of Canada’s International Development Research Centre delivered opening remarks.
Addressing risks with African solutions
Professor Moshabela described the hub as an initiative that comes with great responsibility for UCT.
He noted that while AI presents remarkable opportunities, the risks cannot be ignored. “We are not only launching a hub; we are affirming our role in leading Africa’s contribution to the future of AI safety. At UCT, our mission is rooted in research, teaching and societal engagement – this initiative speaks to all three.
“By anchoring the hub here, we are saying that Africa’s voice matters, that Africa’s knowledge matters, and that Africa’s future in AI must be secured on its own terms. As a continent, we must ensure AI tools are developed responsibly and inclusively. This hub is about building a community, drawing on our strengths and amplifying Africa’s role in shaping the future of technology.”
Middleton underlined Africa’s central role in these conversations. “Despite people in African countries being most exposed to AI-related risks, they remain under-represented in shaping AI systems. We must confront challenges like the digital divide, tech-enabled gender-based violence, and training data that does not represent Africa’s wants and needs. UCT’s expertise positions this hub as a much-needed centre of gravity for Africa-led research with global implications.”
Vélez echoed this sentiment, noting the hub is situated within a growing international movement.
“This is one of 13 multidisciplinary labs globally – a unique feature of the AI for Development programme. By fostering safe and inclusive AI ecosystems, we empower local experts to develop their own solutions and mitigate risks through the implementation of sustainable AI policies and standards.
“Global collaboration on AI brings benefits to all nations, and we are proud to partner with UCT and the Global Centre on AI Governance to ensure Africa’s priorities are represented on the global stage.”
Dr Chinasa Okolo, the founder and scientific director of Technecultura, urged a reframing of AI safety from an African perspective. She called for multilingual evaluation systems, regional infrastructure investment and public participation in AI governance.
“Mainstream AI safety has been dominated by Western-centric approaches that often exclude the lived realities of the Global South. Without deliberate effort to centre African perspectives, global AI safety initiatives risk perpetuating the very exclusions they claim to address,” Dr Okolo said.
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