There’s a powerful conversation taking place across boardrooms, government halls, and university corridors: “Will AI take over our jobs? Our minds? Our lives?” As the founder of Maser Group, a technology company rooted in Africa’s fast-evolving landscape, I’ve seen both sides of the AI debate — the excitement and the fear. But here’s the truth: AI is not our enemy. It is our amplifier. We are at a turning point where decisions will define whether Africa becomes a consumer of AI or a creator of it. The myths need to be cleared. The possibilities need to be embraced. And the conversation needs grounding. Perception 1: AI will replace humans Let’s be honest. AI will automate tasks but not the essence of human intelligence. Repetitive, time-consuming roles will evolve. But that evolution doesn’t mean elimination. It means redefinition. A farmer with AI-powered crop prediction isn’t replaced, he’s empowered. A doctor using AI to detect disease earlier is not threatened, she’s enhanced. In truth, AI will remove the routine so we can focus on the remarkable. At Maser Group, we’re investing in tools that combine human intuition with AI efficiency, not to replace people, but to elevate them. Perception 2: AI is only for the developed world This is perhaps the most dangerous myth of all. Africa stands to gain more than any other region from AI. Why? Because we have the challenges that AI was built to solve access to healthcare, agricultural instability, infrastructure gaps, language translation, and education inequality. AI is already being used to predict crop failure in Kenya, translate local dialects in Nigeria, and triage patient data in Ghana. The idea that Africa must wait its turn is outdated. We must leap, not lag. Perception 3: AI is just about technology AI is not just a tech issue, it’s a leadership issue. How we deploy it, regulate it, and educate our people about it will define our collective future. This is where I urge governments, schools, and businesses to come together. We must not fear AI, we must prepare for it. That means policy that protects innovation without stifling it, training that empowers our youth to build, not just use AI, and tthical frameworks that ensure fairness and inclusion. AI must be local, contextual, and inclusive — reflecting our values and solving our problems. Africa must build, not just buy AI As an entrepreneur who started from zero, I see AI as the next equalizer. It’s not science fiction. And for Africa, it can be the engine of education, the doctor in every village, the farmer’s advisor, the job creator. Let us not ask if AI will shape our future. It already is. The real question is: Will we shape AI for Africa, or let others shape it for us? At Maser Group, we choose to shape it. Prateek Suri is the Founder and CEO of Maser Group.
