Segment:- We're Creating Solutions and Problems Simultaneously: The AI Revolution Africa Is Missing

Summary

Konnected Minds Podcast – Episode Summary
Segment: "We're Creating Solutions and Problems Simultaneously: The AI Revolution Africa Is Missing"
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Date: December 6, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Derrick Abaitey leads a thought-provoking discussion on Africa’s position in the global AI revolution. The conversation explores the simultaneous creation of technological solutions and new challenges, focusing on how Africa can either seize these opportunities or risk being left behind. The hosts also unpack the intersection of technology, communication, and personal development against the backdrop of rapid global digital transformation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Dual Edges of Innovation: Solutions and Problems

• Technological Progress Is a Double-Edged Sword

  • "We're creating solutions and creating problems at the same time." – B [00:02]
  • Every new solution (especially in tech) generates problems that create new economic opportunities.

• Africa’s Position in the AI Revolution

  • There’s a debate on whether Africa is being left behind in the tech race. "Is Africa behind? Yes and no." – A [00:07]
  • The conversation highlights missed opportunities and delayed adoption of critical tech-related conversations in Africa.

Missed Opportunities & Lagging Awareness

• Lack of Timely Conversation and Policy

  • In the developed world, regular AI governance forums are the norm. "I've seen nothing less than twice a year, an AI governance forum..." – A [00:23]
  • The need for African governments to create ministries or agencies focused on the “future” is emphasized.

• Delayed Response to Emerging Threats

  • Example: Digital kidnapping and cyberbullying were concerns six years ago, but awareness and serious conversations emerged much later.
  • "Well done. We're about six years late." – A, reflecting on delayed reaction to cyberbullying [01:20]

• Focus on Analog Problems

  • Africa's focus on 'analog' (infrastructural) challenges—like flooding—takes attention away from emerging digital issues.
  • "If my street is flooded, I am definitely not going to think about a humanoid robot..." – A [02:08]

Generational Divide in AI Adoption

• Young Tech Teams Leading the Charge

  • AI and content teams in Africa’s creative industries tend to be young; the average age cited is 21. [02:43]
  • "That tells you that people slightly above our age... will struggle.” – B [03:01]
  • Older generations face difficulty both as parents and as business leaders in adapting to new tech paradigms.

• Historical Patterns and Data

  • Pivoting too late to digital (e.g., during COVID-19) led to business failures; the podcast stresses learning from these patterns instead of repeating them.

Successful African Digital Solutions

• Mobile Money as a Continental Triumph
  • Mobile money regulations and adoption in West Africa, especially Ghana, are lauded as examples of successful digital leapfrogging.
  • “It freaking works. Helps our people, it’s efficient, it’s time saving.” – A [05:41]
  • "If mobile money is this successful, the question is how many other digital realities can we plug to make life better?" – A [05:46]

What Africa Can Learn from the West

• Technology Policy and Proactive Dialogue

  • Former US President Trump’s meetings with tech giants highlighted as a proactive approach Africa lacks.
  • "Why can't these sort of conversations happen in... the entire Africa?" – B [04:15]

• Integration of Tech in Disaster Management

  • AI-powered drones with LIDAR technology could revolutionize disaster recovery in Africa, but governmental inertia is a barrier.
  • “If you put lidar technology in a drone, fly it over a flood system, do you think we would need to wait for the water to dry?” – A [05:06]

The Irreplaceable Power of Human Communication

• AI’s Limits: Human Connection
  • Communication is framed as foundational and fundamentally human—something AI cannot authentically replicate.
  • "Communication is the bedrock of all societies..." – A [06:43]
  • Non-verbal communication makes up over 80% of human interaction. "That’s why you can meet somebody... and you say your body language is giving you up." – A [07:21]
  • Humor: “Will you ever go to a Robocop Malam?” – A [09:29]
  • Even in medicine, robots can provide efficient care, but empathy and human connection are irreplaceable. [09:38]

Building Personal and Professional Brands for the AI Age

• Communication as Brand and Value
  • “Use your experiences, your skill, your gifts. Use it to solve problems... [and] document the solving of those problems. Building of brands.” – A [11:36]
  • There’s a distinction drawn between genuine branding (problem-solving) and superficial packaging.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Being Left Behind:
  "We're creating solutions and creating problems at the same time." – B [00:02]

• On Missed Opportunities:
  "Well done. We're about six years late." – A, referencing Africa's late response to cyberbullying [01:20]

• On Technology and Real-Life Problems:
  "If my street is flooded, I'm definitely not going to think about a humanoid robot... I can't get home. My streets are flooded." – A [02:08]

• On the Generation Gap:
  "That tells you that people slightly above our age... will struggle. First they're struggling as parents. Then they will struggle as captains of industries." – B [03:05]

• On the Essence of Communication:
  "Communication is the process of transferring information, ideas, concepts, emotions, meaning... It comes in all forms. We have at least four forms of communication..." – A [06:43]

• On Nonverbal Communication:
  "In fact, over 80% of all communication is nonverbal." – A [07:21]

• On AI’s Human Limits:
  "When you want to talk to someone about how you're feeling, that's why communication is the transfer of not only information, meaning, emotions. That is something AI would never be able to do." – A [08:54]

• On Branding:
  "Use your experiences, your skill, your gifts… to solve problems… document the solving of those problems. Building of brands…" – A [11:36]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02: "We're creating solutions and creating problems..." – Setting up the episode's theme
• 01:20: Late response to digital challenges in Africa
• 02:08: Link between 'analog' problems and slow digital transformation
• 03:05: The generational gap in embracing AI
• 05:41: Praise for Ghana's mobile money system
• 06:43: The fundamentals and forms of human communication
• 07:21: Nonverbal communication’s dominance
• 09:29: Robots vs human connection in sensitive professions
• 11:36: Differentiating true branding from mere packaging

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Conclusion

This episode of Konnected Minds confronts the paradox of progress—technology as both a solution and a challenge—and urges Africa to leapfrog into digital transformation rather than be left behind. The hosts passionately advocate for timely policy, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and the irreplaceable value of human connection, especially in a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence. Their candid discussion is both a critique and a roadmap for Africa’s future in the global digital landscape.

Transcript

[A]

It's as simple as that.

[B]

We're creating solutions and creating problems at the same time.

[A]

And that's the beauty of it. Because for every problem we create, that's a new opportunity for economic value. That's the conversation that people is Africa behind? Yes and no. Okay, sir, maybe a bad example, and I beg to differ. I'm a learner. And when you watch this and you have better ideas, I'll read it in the comments. So forgive me. There are more than three businesses that have caused the trillion dollar evaluation. How did they do it? There's Nvidia, there's Apple. I think there's a third company that I don't remember. They've crossed the trillion dollar Facebook, crossed the trillion dollar evaluation. In our lifetime, a business is worth a trillion dollars. The richest man currently in the world is building around these systems. My question then is, where are these conversations happening? Everywhere in the developed world. I've seen nothing less than twice a year, an AI governance forum, when I started pitching to our Ministry of Digital Information and blah, blah, blah. I don't remember the full details about a product that I had developed about six years ago on something called digital kidnapping, how to protect our kids online. It was a language our people were not ready to have. I just saw about a month or two ago, my very good brother, Ayegwe Adem, who is. What's the name? He is the head. He is. Oh, there's a word for them. Oh, it's not coming. But he's sort of like the face of now cyber bullying. And I'm like, guys, I love it. Well done. We're about six years late. When the kids started playing Fortnite six years ago, that's when we should have started paying attention to this. So are we left behind? I feel like we're not taking this serious enough. And part of the reason why. Part of the reason why that is happening is because we still have analog problems.

[B]

Okay, you see, Kwame, here's what I mean.

[A]

If my street is flooded, I am definitely not going to think about a humanoid robot and how he might take my job as a waitress in a restaurant. I can't get home. My streets are flooded. That's what I mean by because we have real analog problems. We're not paying attention enough. And if we ever have enough goodwill, national goodwill, to solve our analog problems, we will have to leapfrog into these things.

[B]

So just. This is just. By the way.

[A]

Yes. Right.

[B]

My AI and content team.

[A]

Yes, sir. The.

[B]

The average age. Yes. Is 21. Okay, 21 you're dealing with. And I'm talking about the people that constantly researching.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Creating content.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

For my brand.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Derek Abite and Connected minds. There's about four guys. The average age is 2021.

[A]

Yes. You're dealing with the right crowd.

[B]

That tells you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That people slightly above our age.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Will struggle.

[A]

Absolutely. They are struggling. First they're struggling as parents. They don't know what to do with it. Then they will struggle as captains of industries and CEOs of businesses. There would be a disconnect. And like I'm saying to you, I'm not predicting anything based on a vacuum. I'm predicting based on what has always been. There's data. There's data. It allow us to be predictable in 2020. If when Covid hit was when you decided to pivot your business online, you were late, too late. And businesses didn't survive. Sir, let's not act like we're just boys, businesses, churches, they didn't make it. Let's not ally. We're just young people who are feeling good and vibely about our new shiny toys. These are not toys. This is redefining life as we know it.

[B]

While we're speaking about the topic whether Africans have been left behind, I saw something very interesting in the U.S. that's for me, I thought as a business person. Right. And as somebody who's. Who does this. Yes. For a living.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Trump did very well.

[A]

Very.

[B]

He put all the tech, basically the tech giants in a meeting.

[A]

So let's have a conversation.

[B]

Let's have a conversation. Yes, sir. Right. Why can't these sort of conversations happen in certain parts of Africa? Or as a matter of fact, the entire Africa.

[A]

That's what I'm saying.

[B]

So that.

[A]

Where is our AI governance firm? Where's our Ministry of the Future. Yeah. Where we're paying attention to developing tech as it affects national planning, management of crisis. Like to think about the fact. And I speak tongue in cheek again, I'm not trying to be controversial. I'm just passionate about these things. To think about the fact that we cannot plug AI systems into disaster management. Like if there was a flood, bro. And again, I speak about these things because these are solutions I've offered to previous governments and didn't get response. If there was a flood and you put drones with lidar technology. Not lidar technology by the way, is about 7 or 8 years old. LIDAR technology is a tech in cars that allows them to be able to pick their environment, model the environment and be able to say that's a human coming, that's an animal coming. If you put lidar technology in a drone, fly it over a flood system, do you think we would need to wait for the water to dry to find whoever was swept away by the by the way flood? No, sir. What does it cost to have a.

[B]

Drone with lidar tech but something that's Africa. Yes. Most part the western, the west part of Africa is doing very well.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Is our mobile money payments. Ghana is currently leading when it comes to regulation.

[A]

And that should have been the unicorn guys. It freaking works. Helps our people, it's efficient. It's time saving my mom again. 70 plus she receives money, she sends it. I don't need to send my mom walking to the back bank. I don't need to let her be worried about, you know, taking cash and hoping that some moto guys don't come. It works. So if mobile money is this successful, the question is how many other digital realities can we plug to make the life of our, of our people better? That should be the thing.

[B]

So now we're talking about AI. Yes. And you know its benefits. Yes. For the business people. Yes. And you know, you did really speak about the fact that you think communication is the aspect of humans that AI cannot touch replicate.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So now let's talk about how to become a better communicator.

[A]

Right.

[B]

An effective communicator.

[A]

Right.

[B]

As in that's what you do for people.

[A]

So communication is the bedrock of all societies. Communication is the process of transferring information, ideas, concepts, emotions, meaning between two or more people. It comes in all forms. We have at least four forms of communication. We have non verbal communication, we have verbal communication, we have written communication, and we have visual communication. The aim of communication is meaning, connection and bond. That is the aim. It's so. It's so much a part of us that even silence is a form of communication.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

In fact, over 80% of all communication is non verbal. Here's the reason why you look at someone and say, why are you looking at me like that? It's because the look speaks. You look a bit gloomy. What do you mean? So nonverbal communication forms over 80%. That's why you can meet somebody who can be speaking words and you say your body language is giving you up. You called it body language. The body has a language. At the crust of all of society is communication. Your first public speech that you ever gave was your first cry as a baby. If you don't master that act of communication as a child before you are ever able to utter words, you'll be in trouble. And you find out that parents are so good at decoding this language. In the cries, they can tell when the baby is hungry, they can tell when the baby wants to potty. They can hear. That was your first one. When you spoke to your first crush in primary school, that was communication. A public teacher will give about 180 different public lectures in a year. A pastor might do double of that. If you add consult counseling, he's doing about 4, 500 different forms. So in communication, we're looking at something that is essentially human. It can be a little sexy. When you see a humanoid, which is what the robots have become now, you can't even tell the difference by the way. They look really human. So we call them humanoids. Now, if you look at. It can be sexy to see a humanoid stand in front of you and does you a bit or two. But when you want to talk to someone about how you're feeling, that's why communication is the transfer of not only information, meaning, emotions. That is something AI would never be able to do.

[B]

So that's one aspect I want to watch this conversation. Right? Yes. In 30 years. Oh my God. Futurist Kwame was right. Yes, sir. But there's also a part of me that I think everything you're saying.

How would I feel?

[A]

Right.

[B]

If after 20 years, that's even more. After 10 years, people are having conversations.

[A]

With AI, they are already having conversations with AI and it will not stick. It will not be the same way. Here's a question for you. Will you ever go to a Robocop Malam?

[B]

No.

[A]

Yes, sir.

[B]

Well, I guess the question I also got for you is that.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Will you visit a robot doctor?

[A]

I will go to a robot doctor. What I'm taking from the robot doctor is not essentially emotion. There are certain. What's the word? Diagnosis that in order for me to recover, I would need human to human connection.

[B]

Right? Right.

[A]

If I'm going to a robot doctor that is looking for my vein and giving me a painless injection, that's not a problem. But even that, what will happen is the doctor, you've seen those videos of the doctors with the kids who know how to play with them.

And then the kid is still didn't even realize a robot cannot do that.

[B]

So now we need to learn how to communicate better and then build personal.

[A]

Brands way, way, way through the process. So like I said, we've defined communication.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Public speaking is a form of communication. So if you look at communication as the universe Public speaking is a solar system in the universe. In public speaking, you're giving a structured presentation to an audience with the aim of informing, persuading, or inspiring. That's what you're doing. Now. In public speaking, if you do not have effective communication, you have noise amplification, you're basically amplifying noise. So again, effective communication becomes the bedrock. You need to study that. And I'll go there very soon. But how do I build a brand of that? The beauty of public speaking is that immediately two people come into the room. You're doing a public speech. Okay, Immediately two people. So if a third person came into this room, now, everything we're saying is public speaking. In fact, immediately the first two views hit this video. Everything we've done here is public speaking. Because even though I'm talking to you and I'm communicating with you, the structure of this conversation is so that the public can consume it. And if what you're doing makes money, that's a way. So I taught this the last time. I'll teach it again. Use your experiences, your skill, your gifts. Use it to solve problems. When you're solving the problems, document the solving of those problems. Building of brands. This is what people accra.

The problem today is people confuse branding with empty packaging. Settings is not branding. Can I say it without fear? Settings is defrauding connected minds. Podcast.