Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma [email protected]
ZIMBABWE’S annual gathering on digital media, civic technology and the creative economy, the Hub Unconference, returns for its 12th edition in Harare on September 24 and 25, with this year’s programme set to interrogate the growing influence of algorithms and artificial intelligence on African societies.
Running under the theme “Unruly Algorithms”, the two-day event will examine the dynamics of digital power across Africa, with a particular focus on how emerging technologies are shaping the lives of young people.
Organisers said the theme seeks to move beyond the hype surrounding artificial intelligence and encourage deeper conversations about how young people learn, create and consume information, as well as the challenges and opportunities created by rapidly evolving technologies.
The gathering will bring together students, creatives, journalists, policymakers, academics, activists, developers and technology enthusiasts from across the continent to exchange ideas, build practical skills and develop a roadmap towards a digital future shaped by Africans.
The programme will feature panel discussions, masterclasses, debates, live podcasts, creative pop-ups and interactive showcases led by speakers from several African countries.
Among those expected to lead discussions are Angela Kilisungu and Nkumi Mtingwa from Tanzania, Antonio Kisembo and Samuel Eibu from Uganda, Willson Chivhanga from Malawi, and Zimbabweans Darlington Chugumbu, Linda Mujuru and Joice Svotwa.
They will be joined by journalists, artists, technologists and content creators involved in shaping digital narratives across the continent.
Hub Unconference coordinator Takudzwa Musakasa said the organisers wanted this year’s edition to focus on agency rather than simply the impact of artificial intelligence.
“We didn’t want this year’s edition to be just about what AI is doing to us, we wanted it to be about what we are going to do about it,” he said.
“Unruly Algorithms is about young Africans claiming a seat at the table, learning the systems that shape our lives, questioning who built them and why, and having a real say in what comes next.”
The programme will also include a Canva masterclass led by Nicole Njanjari, alongside pop-up sessions facilitated by organisations including Friendship Bench, Magitare Trust and Defend Defenders.
Participants from Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa and Zimbabwe are expected to attend the gathering, with discussions also set to focus on data ownership and the role of digital technologies in strengthening transparency, civic advocacy and homegrown innovation.
Musakasa said bringing different groups into one space was important in ensuring that digital development reflected African priorities.
“We’re bringing students, creatives, journalists, technologists and policymakers into the same space to question these systems, learn practical skills and imagine what a digital future shaped by us could look like,” he said.
Previous editions of the Hub Unconference have featured prominent local and international speakers, including
Alice McCool of The Guardian, Robyn Kriel of CNN, Raheela Mohammed of Al Jazeera and Lindiwe Zulu of the African National Congress, among others.
The 12th edition is expected to provide a platform for participants to engage on the opportunities, risks and power structures emerging around artificial intelligence, data and digital platforms in Africa.
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