As AI reshapes global power dynamics, an oversight has emerged in the G20’s approach to AI governance. This is the role of independent media in monitoring these transformative technologies.
The M20’s latest policy brief, Power, Politics, and Economics – AI, Africa and the G20, written by Research ICT Africa’s Scott Timcke and Zara Schroeder, covers the media’s essential oversight function, particularly for how AI rolls out across the African continent.
The Triple Challenge
RIA’s brief identifies three interconnected challenges that demand G20 attention.
- First, AI development remains concentrated among a handful of global technology companies, creating unprecedented concentrations of transnational power that national regulatory mechanisms struggle to govern effectively.
- Second, Africa’s structural position in the AI economy relegates the continent to low-paid data labelling work—earning workers just $1-3 per hour while enabling billion-dollar AI applications—while failing to fully develop African-centred AI systems that serve local languages and contexts.
- Third, and perhaps most critically, journalism covering AI governance suffers from significant knowledge gaps. Many reporters treat AI developments as ‘technology stories’ rather than examining the deeper ‘power and policy stories’ that reveal governance implications and labor impacts.
The Stakes for Democracy
This oversight becomes concerning given Africa’s information ecosystem challenges. Since 2022, foreign-sponsored disinformation campaigns have targeted at least 39 African countries, exploiting structural vulnerabilities including limited media literacy and declining press freedom. Meanwhile, AI systems increasingly shape critical sectors like agriculture, health, education, and governance itself—making independent oversight more crucial than ever.
A Path Forward
RIA’s M20 brief proposes some recommendations for G20 consideration. These are establishing AI governance transparency standards, supporting independent AI oversight mechanisms, promoting African AI tools, and strengthening media freedom. These recommendations align with South Africa’s G20 presidency theme of Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.
Tthe M20 initiative’s broader mission of ensuring healthy information ecosystems are reflected in G20 policy agendas, recognizing that effective AI governance requires robust media oversight to prevent the entrenchment of technological dependencies that marginalize African interests.
