UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The United Arab Emirates is rapidly emerging as a major player in the mining sector in Africa, starting with the acquisition of a large copper mine in Zambia. With its oil-dependent economy vulnerable to the global shift away from fossil fuels, Abu Dhabi is trying to secure a central place in the new energy economy.

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed interacts with the robot Sophie.

Although the U.S., EU and China dominate coverage of the effort to regulate artificial intelligence, a less-publicized but vital discourse about AI is taking place throughout Africa. In particular, most African policymakers have a unique challenge: how to responsibly leverage AI to accelerate national development.