How UX Research at Mantaray Africa is Driving AI Conversations

At Mantaray Africa, we are more than observers of technological evolution—we actively research how technologies are adopted and experienced across diverse African contexts. With a strong focus on UX research, we apply human-centered methods to understand digital interactions on the continent.

Our recent studies, AI in Africa and African Youth and AI, have highlighted both the promise and the limitations of current AI technologies. These insights have made waves across the tech and research community and reaffirmed our commitment to ethical, inclusive, and locally-relevant research practices.

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Testing 50+ AI Tools: What We Found in the African Context

Over the past few months, we’ve tested more than 50 AI tools. These tools span across:

• Image generation
• Report and presentation drafting
• Qualitative data analysis
• Ideation and marketing
• Desk research
• Project management

What became immediately clear was how these tools often reflected a Western-centric bias. As a UX agency rooted in Africa, we noticed these gaps quickly:

• Irrelevant or inaccurate insights for African cultural contexts
• Emphasis on data patterns common in Western populations
• Lack of non-linear thinking in data interpretation
• Limited capacity to recognize or respect linguistic diversity

While these tools are powerful, what they all lack is a genuine understanding of people, culture, and the subtleties that shape real-life African user experiences.

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Why African UX Research Matters in AI Development

Human-centered design cannot exist without cultural awareness. UX research in Africa brings an essential lens to the global AI conversation—it introduces the perspectives of communities who are often underrepresented in AI datasets.

Our research with African youth has shown that while digital fluency is high, there is skepticism and a sense of disconnect when using AI tools that don’t recognize African languages, contexts, or values. This misalignment poses a challenge to meaningful digital inclusion.

By embedding local context into our research, we help ensure that future AI tools are both inclusive and effective.

Africa’s Voice in Global AI Policy: Reflections from Davos 2024

At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2024 (WEFAM24) in Davos, global leaders addressed the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence. Many of the concerns raised mirrored our own UX research findings.

Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, emphasized the need to “democratize access” to AI. She rightly pointed out that without affordability and accessibility, AI will only widen the digital divide.

Despite several encouraging initiatives announced at the event, only one initiative explicitly addressed the Global South. None directly tackled how to make AI more culturally fluent or representative of Africa and Africans.

This reinforces why African UX research must be part of the policy and product development process.

Building Trustworthy AI for Africa: What Comes Next?

At Mantaray Africa, we believe AI should not be a one-size-fits-all solution. We’ve taken active steps, to offer insights from our UX research. Our aim is to co-create tools that:

• Understand the diversity of African languages and cultures
• Support non-linear, intuitive data processing
• Amplify the voices and needs of African youth and communities

We envision an AI landscape that is built not just for Africa, but with Africa.

Let’s Build Together

As reliance on AI grows across industries, now is the time to ensure African voices and user experiences are part of the foundation. Through inclusive UX research and responsible design, we can create AI tools that are trusted, accessible, and locally relevant.

Want to collaborate on culturally-relevant AI solutions in Africa? Reach out to Mantaray Africa’s UX Research team.

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