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May 19, 2026AI & InnovationOpen Access

The Open‐Source Paradox: Africa's Digital Sovereignty and the Structural Limits of Artificial Intelligence Autonomy

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Authors

OSOlolade ShonubiUniversity of Wolverhampton

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Implication

This investigation finds that open-source AI may not ensure autonomy for African states, suggesting new dependencies instead.

Key Points

  • This paper examines the potential of open-source AI to provide digital sovereignty for African nations and its implications.
  • Structured narrative review of existing literature on open-source AI and its impact on African digital sovereignty.
  • Analysis utilizing National Innovation System theory and political economy perspectives on cloud infrastructure.
  • Identification of factors undermining the effectiveness of open-source AI in the African context.
  • Open-source AI lacks the structural foundations needed for true digital sovereignty in Africa.
  • Dependence on foreign cloud services persists despite adoption of open-source AI technologies.
  • An integrative framework is proposed to enhance understanding of the open-source paradox in the African context.

Cite This Study

Ololade Shonubi (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0bfde8166b51b53d379355https://doi.org/10.1002/aiv2.70004
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