AI Acceptance and Usage in Sub-Saharan African Education: A Systematic Review of Literature

Abstract

The purpose of this review was to map the state of AI in sub-Saharan African (SSA) education based on published literature.The studies analysed comprised 96 AI-related studies over a decade (2013 to 2023).The findings revealed a concentration of AI-related studies in 2023, primarily originating from the western part of sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Ghana (26 studies) and Nigeria (26 studies).The reviewed studies primarily focused on students (35 studies) and teaching staff (28 studies) as users of AI.In terms of approach, 32 studies were quantitative, and 26 studies were qualitative.Key factors influencing AI adoption and usage in the SSA education landscape included global perspectives on AI usage, training and skill development, and readiness of institutions to integrate AI into education.The main benefits of AI usage in education, as reported in the reviewed studies, included promoting global collaboration, enhancing efficiency in learning and research, and the ability of AI to analyse vast amounts of data.Despite the increasing acceptance and usage of AI technologies within educational institutions in the sub-region, emerging challenges such as risks of AI discouraging learning and scepticism among students, and the potential of AI causing long-term unemployment were discussed by the authors.The review provides recommendations to address these challenges and enhance AI adoption and usage within the SSA educational landscape.