As generative AI technologies evolve, they pose unprecedented risks to minors across Africa. With around 40% of young Africans aged 15-24 now online, the potential for exploitation through synthetic sexual abuse images and deepfakes is alarmingly high. This digital landscape, while offering opportunities for growth and education, also exposes children to sophisticated threats that are increasingly difficult to detect and combat. The fragmented regulatory frameworks across the continent further complicate the situation.

The recent workshop on “Generative AI and Copyright” held by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) has brought to light a pressing issue: the urgent need for accountability from AI companies that profit from the unauthorized use of creative works. As highlighted by Nina George, the Commissioner for Political Affairs at the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the exploitation of authors’ labor and intellectual property by non-European AI firms raises significant ethical and legal concerns.