“Traditional colonial power seeks unilateral power and domination over colonized people. It declares control of the social, economic, and political spheres by reordering and reinventing social order in a manner that benefits it. In the age of algorithms, this control and domination occur not through brute physical force but rather through invisible and nuanced mechanisms such as control of digital ecosystems and infrastructure.”

— Abeba Birhane, “Algorithmic Colonization of Africa” 

As AI systems, largely created in the global north, transcend borders and integrate into the fabric of societies around the world, they can carry embedded biases and frameworks that reinforce existing inequalities. This technological imposition can lead to a form of digital dependence, where the majority of the world becomes reliant on tools and infrastructures that do not align with their own cultural, economic, and social contexts. In this series, we hear directly from researchers and experts across Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean as they reveal the complex interplay between historical and present-day power imbalances, and AI’s role in reinforcing, challenging, or reshaping these dynamics. 

A 2024 report from the US Department of State highlighted the use of AI systems in warfare, adding layers of AI-driven surveillance and decision-making that circumvent typical AI governance frameworks. This is just one example that underscores the critical need to interrogate AI’s ethical, social, and legal dimensions as it transforms power structures worldwide. AI-driven power structures often leave less powerful countries at the mercy of dominant nations, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and stripping local communities of autonomy. Such asymmetrical applications of technology can deepen socio-political divides, with marginalized populations bearing the brunt of these systems’ consequences. In many cases, AI becomes a tool for control, reinforcing inequities and denying communities the right to self-determination and a voice in their governance.

Colonization was never just about control of land and resources; it was aimed at ontological, epistemic, and methodological domination. As such, colonialism continues to have a profound impact on knowledge systems and traditions across the globe. While colonization imposed external knowledge systems and ways of knowing, actively cultivating local knowledge, methodologies, and resources is essential in reclaiming agency and fostering self-sustaining development. Resisting external domination requires not only rejecting imposed frameworks but developing solutions that are both contextually relevant and culturally attuned to community needs. 

This series, curated by researchers Emnet Tafesse and Abigail Oppong in collaboration with Data & Society’s AI on the Ground program, explores the need for a more equitable and inclusive approach to AI development and deployment, one that prioritizes the voices and needs of those in the Majority World, and fosters a more balanced and just technological landscape. Contributors explore the complex layers of tech colonialism, exploring the phenomenon by focusing on its manifestations in health, language, labor, and other areas.

Illustration by Mabel Kumi