Masike Malatji

Masike Malatji

The artificial intelligence (AI) digital divide in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) presents significant disparities in AI access, adoption, and development due to varying levels of infrastructure, education, and policy support. This study investigates the extent of AI readiness among the top SSA countries using the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index, alongside an analysis of AI initiatives to foster inclusivity. A comparative analysis of AI readiness scores highlights disparities across nations, with Mauritius (53.94) and South Africa (52.91) leading, while Zambia (42.58) and Uganda (43.32) lag. Quartile analysis reveals a concentration of AI preparedness among a few nations, suggesting uneven AI development. The study further examines the relationship between AI readiness and economic indicators, identifying instances where AI progress does not strictly correlate with Gross Domestic Product per capita, as seen in Rwanda and Uganda. Using case studies of AI initiatives across SSA, this research contextualises quantitative findings, identifying key strategies contributing to AI inclusivity, including talent development programs, research networks, and policy interventions. The study concludes with recommendations to bridge the AI digital divide, emphasising investments in AI education, localised AI solutions, and cross-country collaborations to accelerate AI adoption in SSA.

Masike Malatji

This paper presents a novel, structured decision support framework that systematically aligns diverse artificial intelligence (AI) agent architectures, reactive, cognitive, hybrid, and learning, with the comprehensive National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0. By integrating agent theory with industry guidelines, this framework provides a transparent and stepwise methodology for selecting and deploying AI solutions to address contemporary cyber threats. Employing a granular decomposition of NIST CSF 2.0 functions into specific tasks, the study links essential AI agent properties such as autonomy, adaptive learning, and real-time responsiveness to each subcategory's security requirements. In addition, it outlines graduated levels of autonomy (assisted, augmented, and fully autonomous) to accommodate organisations at varying stages of cybersecurity maturity. This holistic approach transcends isolated AI applications, providing a unified detection, incident response, and governance strategy. Through conceptual validation, the framework demonstrates how tailored AI agent deployments can align with real-world constraints and risk profiles, enhancing situational awareness, accelerating response times, and fortifying long-term resilience via adaptive risk management. Ultimately, this research bridges the gap between theoretical AI constructs and operational cybersecurity demands, establishing a foundation for robust, empirically validated multi-agent systems that adhere to industry standards.