Africans Need to Google and AI Themselves and Their Businesses
William Jackson, CEO, Chancellor, Minister, Educator
Co-founder L&D Nexus (UAE)
World Metaverse Council – Metaverse Education
Program Director (Slovenia)
Board Member of One Africa Forum (South Africa)
Speaker and Contributor with L&D Africa (Nairobi)
Teacher with TESI (Lira Uganda)
TikToc
https://www.tiktok.com/@my.quest.to.teach
Podcast with Deep Dive
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Aye81olTyFYwYDTapn6Gu?si=g_67MaPMRnuFnv8synVnJg
YouTube Video
https://youtu.be/JanBIL-15Lc
Deep Dive with NotebookLM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4_UfyTzkm4
Blog about high school students learning AI
https://myquesttoteach.com/swoopworkshop/
In today’s digital revolution and evolution (4IR & 4IRE),
it’s vital for Africans to take ownership of their digital
identity, content and visibility. One powerful and often
overlooked step is simply Googling and AI-ing your
name and as a business owner. Google and AI your
business brings highlights to the growth and
development of the optics and influences of
digital content.
This isn’t about vanity, it’s about vigilance as a
business owner, visibility to be seen, and voice
that can be heard. Understanding how your name,
image, business or brand shows up online is the a
powerful step towards controlling your narrative,
especially in a world increasingly shaped by Artificial
Intelligence, Virtual Reality and Internet of Things (IoT).
When Africans Google themselves and their businesses
they are stepping into the same shoes as mega-corporations.
Seeing a digital reflection of how the world might perceive
the content that is created and its continental and
global influences.
These “data-sets” are important, Dr. Kia Fu Lee has
repeatedly stated that “data is the new oil,” businesses
need to own their data and manage what is shared and
where. Africa is the youngest demographic, empowering
youth, teens and young adults only helps create a solid
foundation of multiple streams of data-sets.
This is critical for African professionals, to ensure their
online footprint is accurate, empowering, and protective
of their future opportunities. AI systems search algorithms
are trained on data that often excludes or misrepresents
Africans. The African Diaspora is more powerful than
imaginable so Africans and those in the Diaspora are building
as influencers and developing digital Superpowers.
By researching how AI “sees” you through tools like ChatGPT,
PI.ai and Perplexity, or public data repositories you can learn
what the digital world knows (or doesn’t know) about you.
The false narratives and the true narratives that may or may
not be shared are important.
African entrepreneurs, educators, artists, or activists, this
knowledge may help in building a powerful personal brand
and ensures that achievements are accurately recorded
and searchable. AI can be biased, racist, give false information
and can either build a business or destroy it from false content.
Africans across the continent must be sure to know that “content
is still king/” Using AI for observation and monitoring brings
another level to build a dynamic reputation.
There should be efforts to teach African youth and teens
how to search and analyze their digital footprint, to empower
them to take charge of their online digital legacy. Whether it’s
cleaning up social media, building a professional LinkedIn
presence, or contributing positive content like blogs or videos,
this is digital self-defense and self-expression. As a Chancellor,
Minister and Educator I often share:
“If Africans don’t shape their story digitally, AI will write it
for them. It may not be the message you want told.”
The African (Nigerian) writer Chinua Achebe has stated,
“until the lion writes his own story, the hunter only tells
one side.”
So, don’t wait for others to define you online. Google yourself,
AI yourself, research yourself and business with AI. Then write,
post, build, and brand the legacy you want the world and
AI to know.
