Science

Five rules for technology leapfrogging in Africa

2025-07-31

Much of my career has been spent trying to harness technology to tackle development challenges, primarily in energy, climate, and digital infrastructure across Africa. But that mission quickly evolved into something else: tempering expectations. From questioning quick-fix energy solutions to pushing back on inflated artificial intelligence (AI) narratives , I’ve become a reluctant tech-skeptic . Not because I doubt the power of technology to solve pressing societal problems but because I’ve seen what happens when it’s treated as a silver bullet.

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DOI https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adz9028