Event on August 14: African languages, linguistic complexity and ethical and inclusive AI

African language representation and visibility within large language models remains a significant challenge, especially as emerging AI systems continue to prioritize English as the primary medium. As discussions around the transformative potential of AI evolve, it is crucial to engage in nuanced conversations that weigh developmental benefits against exclusionary risks. Building truly inclusive AI demands that users see themselves represented and can identify with the technology they use; therefore, the diversity of African languages must sit at the heart of this dialogue.

On August 14, 2025, at 11am ET / 4pm BST / 5pm CAT / 6pm EAT, the AI in Africa Working Group at the Natural Language Processing Community of Practice (NLP-CoP) will convene to critically examine Africa’s opportunity in AI—particularly the integration of African languages in emerging technologies. This session will also explore the role that African language large language models (LLMs) can play in advancing Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) outcomes.

Some of the key questions we aim to explore together include:

• How can we develop AI that supports, rather than sidelines, African languages?
• In what ways are African initiatives, such as decentralising AI research, ensuring that AI reflects African realities?
• How can we make the development of Small Language Models (SLMs), tailored to African languages, more efficient and adaptable, especially for languages with limited digital resources?

Get to know our speakers

Mpho Primus is an Associate Professor and Co-Director at the Institute for Artificial Intelligent Systems, University of Johannesburg, and the founder of Primus Tech Hub, a boutique data-strategy consultancy delivering AI-driven solutions. She holds a PhD in Computer Science, with a research portfolio in artificial intelligence – especially natural language processing for under-resourced African languages. Deeply committed to capacity building, Prof. Primus is a founding member of both the Technopreneurship Centre and the Centre for Applied Data Science at UJ. She passionately champions home-grown, context-aware technological solutions that honour Africa’s linguistic and cultural diversity. Read more about her work here.

Chido Dzinotyiwei is the CEO and Co-Founder of Vambo AI, a pioneering multilingual generative AI company on a mission to foster inclusion and preserve cultural heritage through innovative language technology. With support for 44 African languages and growing, Vambo AI is revolutionizing the way businesses, schools and individuals connect across linguistic and cultural boundaries. A recognized leader in Africa’s tech ecosystem, Chido is passionate about leveraging technology to drive social impact, economic growth and cultural preservation. Her work has earned accolades such as the Aanit Prize for Social Impact and recognition in Forbes Africa and Slator’s Top 50 Language AI Start-ups of 2024. Read more about her work here.

Join The Call 

We’re excited to learn from Mpho and Chido and welcome those interested in developing or working on approaches towards inclusive AI and African Languages to join us– the meeting is open to all, members and non-members alike!

Please register in the link above (and make sure you sign up to join the NLP-CoP for more events like this!).