What does the future hold for design in Africa, especially as we usher in the era of artificial intelligence? The phrase “AI-driven future” might conjure images of algorithms generating art at the click of a button, or smart systems optimizing every aspect of the design process. Indeed, globally, AI is transforming how designers work: from generative design tools that can brainstorm logos or layouts in seconds, to machine learning algorithms that personalize user experiences in real time. Africa is very much a part of this transformation – and stands at a crossroad. As one commentary in The Guardian put it, we live in a time when technology’s promise “threatens both to illuminate and to obliterate”, and we must ask whose perspectives will shape, and whose will be erased, from the future we build. This question is vital for African design in the age of AI: Will AI be a tool that amplifies African creativity, or one that inadvertently sidelines it?

There is good reason for optimism. African designers and technologists are increasingly embracing AI as a means to leapfrog traditional barriers and innovate in uniquely African ways. In fields like architecture and urban planning, AI tools could help envision solutions for Africa’s rapidly growing cities – generating building designs that respond to local climates and cultural preferences. In graphic and product design, generative AI can be used to explore patterns inspired by indigenous art or to quickly prototype variations that a human might not have thought of. Notably, some African creatives are already using AI artistically. For example, artists have used AI image generators to reimagine African futures and “futuristic” African aesthetics, blending tradition with sci-fi. Projects like Nigerian artist Malik Afegbua’s AI-generated images of African elders in high fashion, or other experimental works by my other good friend Joshua Cleopas, where he created African music and beats using AI. This shows AI’s power to help visualize futures that center African people and settings. Such explorations align with the Afrofuturist idea of seeing Africans in the future with agency – essentially using technology to project our own narratives forward. Afrofuturism, as a cultural framework, empowers Africans to locate themselves in past, present and future with agency, offering tools to envision alternative futures grounded in the African experience. In an AI-driven design future, this means Africans should be authors of the algorithms and the imagery, not just consumers.

To achieve that, African designers and researchers are keenly aware that AI must be approached critically and inclusively. One concern is the risk of bias and cultural insensitivity in AI systems. AI models are only as good as the data and values built into them. If most design AIs are trained on Western-centric datasets, they may fail to recognize or reproduce African contexts accurately – effectively a new form of digital bias. There have already been troubling examples in the AI world: image generators that couldn’t correctly depict an African doctor

treating a child, or that produced racist distortions, due to lack of diverse training data. These incidents underscore that without African input, AI can inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes or exclude African realities. The future of design in Africa, then, requires African involvement in AI development. Encouragingly, a new generation of African and diaspora tech visionaries is rising to ensure this happens. The role of Africa’s people, diaspora, and cultures in AI development has long been understated, but today experts like Timnit Gebru and Joy Buolamwini (among others) have made it impossible to ignore the need for diversity in AI . Across the continent, AI hubs and initiatives (from Deep Learning Indaba gatherings to local AI research labs) are working to infuse African perspectives and ethics into emerging technologies.

In practical terms, an AI-driven future of African design could take many empowering forms. Imagine AI assistants that speak local African languages and help designers rapidly retrieve inspiration from African art archives or proverbs. Or design software that comes pre-loaded with authentic African color palettes, patterns, and iconography, allowing a young designer in Nairobi to easily incorporate Maasai beadwork patterns into a website layout. AI could also help preserve and propagate indigenous design knowledge – for instance, by analyzing thousands of traditional motifs and generating new iterations that keep the spirit of the originals. The convergence of AI and African art promises “a new era of creativity and innovation,” as one art essay noted. We could see totally new Afrocentric design genres emerge from this convergence, in everything from digital fashion to immersive VR environments styled with African aesthetics. Importantly, many African designers must view technology not as a threat to handcraft or human-centered design, but as a tool – one that, if wielded thoughtfully, can augment creativity and expand what’s possible. In the words of the dEX Conference theme, it’s about envisioning an AI-driven future that redefines creativity and craftsmanship rather than replaces it. The goal is a future where AI is harnessed to serve African creativity – making design processes more efficient, unlocking new forms of expression, and addressing local challenges – all while respecting the cultural richness that makes African design unique.

Of course, this future will not materialize on its own. It requires intentional effort in the present: investing in Africa’s tech infrastructure and education so that designers have access to AI tools; creating datasets that include African contexts (from cityscapes to languages and cultural motifs) so that AI systems learn with African input; and setting ethical guidelines so that the use of AI in design respects intellectual property and community values. As Africa charts its course in the age of AI, collaborative initiatives like the recently announced Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence signal a commitment to ensuring AI serves the needs and aspirations of African people. Such efforts, paired with the ingenuity of African creatives, mean that the AI-driven future of design could be one where Africa not only adapts to global tech trends but actually helps to lead and shape them.