From no chair to Africa’s AI | Nasreen Watson | TEDxUniversityofJohannesburg

Key Concepts

• Survival vs. Opportunity: The distinction between a system that demands competition for basic resources (like a chair in a classroom) and one that offers genuine opportunity and inclusion.
• Presence vs. Progress: The idea that simply being present in a space (like a boardroom or a classroom) does not equate to making progress or having influence. True progress is determined by how one shapes and contributes to that space.
• "A Seat at the Table": A common idiom representing a position of influence or rank, but the speaker questions who defines the nature of that "table."
• Musical Chairs in AI: An analogy for the current state of AI development, where the fastest and most connected entities secure positions and dictate the rules, potentially excluding others.
• 3Ds of AI Implementation: Design, Develop, and Deploy – a framework for shaping the future of AI.
• Digital Literacy: The ability to understand, use, and critically evaluate digital tools and information.
• Data Ownership: The principle that communities should have control over the data that is collected about them and how it is used.
• "No Data About Us Without Us": A mantra advocating for community involvement and consent in data practices.
• AI Localization: The development of AI systems that understand and communicate in local languages and reflect local contexts.

The Girl Without a Chair: A Journey from Survival to Shaping the Future of AI

This narrative recounts a personal journey from a childhood marked by scarcity and a fight for basic resources to a determined pursuit of higher education and a leading role in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The speaker contrasts her early experiences of "survival dressed up as opportunity" with the potential for genuine inclusion and progress.

Childhood in Overcrowded Classrooms

The speaker vividly describes her childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa, where overcrowded classrooms were the norm. She recounts the daily race for a chair, emphasizing that losing this competition meant standing for the entire lesson, a situation she labels as "survival dressed up as opportunity." This experience instilled a sense of feeling "small" and competing for limited resources. She cites research indicating that in South Africa, there are often more than 50 learners per teacher, with her own experience being 55 learners per teacher. This environment, characterized by a lack of basic amenities like guaranteed clean water, fostered a feeling of the world not being built for her.

The Struggle for Higher Education

Driven by a determination to escape her circumstances, the speaker decided to pursue higher education. However, she faced significant systemic barriers, including numerous rejections for admission and, crucially, a lack of funding. She applied for university for nearly a decade, enduring constant self-doubt about her capabilities. Eventually, she gained admission to the University of Johannesburg, older and out of practice but resolute.

The University Experience: Presence vs. Belonging

Upon entering university, the speaker encountered a stark contrast to her previous environment. The presence of Wi-Fi, libraries, and support services was a dream realized. However, she quickly realized that having a "seat" was not equivalent to "belonging," and belonging did not automatically confer "power." While others engaged with advanced theories, she was still grappling with basic system logins, highlighting a "massive hole" she had to overcome. Despite these challenges, she persevered, graduating with 23 distinctions and pursuing a Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence Ethics, becoming one of the few women of color in Africa to achieve this.

Redefining Progress: Beyond a Seat at the Table

The speaker introduces her core idea: "Presence is not progress." She argues that true success lies in how one actively shapes and influences the environment, not just by occupying a space. She critiques the common business idiom "a seat at the table," questioning who defines the nature of that table. She likens the current global landscape, particularly in AI, to a game of "musical chairs," where the fastest and most connected secure positions and set the rules, leaving others behind. This, she contends, leads to a future being written without the input of many.

The 3Ds: A Framework for Shaping AI's Future

To counter this exclusionary dynamic, the speaker proposes a three-pronged approach, termed the "3Ds," as conversation starters for shaping the future of AI:

1. Design for Capability: This involves moving beyond simply providing digital tools to teaching essential digital literacy skills and critical thinking. The goal is to empower individuals to reason with machines, transforming them from passive consumers into active content creators who can question, critique, analyze, and challenge AI.
2. Develop with Ownership: This principle emphasizes that communities must own, develop, design, and govern the data used in AI systems. They should have the power to decide what data is used, for what purposes, and what outcomes are prioritized. The mantra "no data about us without us" is presented as a crucial element for fostering an ownership mindset and vision.
3. Deploy Systems that Reflect Us: This calls for the development of AI systems that are localized and inclusive. The speaker expresses frustration with AI like ChatGPT asking questions in English, when she prefers to interact in her native languages like Afrikaans or Zulu. She advocates for AI that speaks our languages, understands our accents, and reflects our classroom environments, thereby meeting individuals where they are and fostering true collaboration.

Conclusion: Africa is the Future of AI

The speaker concludes with a powerful assertion that Africa is not just a participant in the future of AI but is, in fact, the future of AI. She emphasizes that they are not waiting for an invitation to the digital age but are actively taking ownership and building it. This endeavor is for the student who feels out of place, for the child still running for a chair, and for the woman who has been told she is not enough. She reiterates that access is not power and crumbs are not dignity, and that Africa deserves and is capable of building more.