Artificial intelligence has entered a new era where systems can improve themselves, raising the prospect of superintelligence that could surpass humans across domains, says Daniel Novitzkas, chairman of digital innovation agency Specno.

Novitzkas warned that centralised AI controlled by governments and corporations risks concentrating power and reducing human agency. Instead, he advocates for “personal superintelligence” (PSI) — decentralised AI designed to augment individuals’ unique goals and abilities.

“The student still learns, the entrepreneur still builds, the farmer still farms, but each with supercharged capacity,” he said. Potential applications include tailored tutoring for learners with dyslexia, personalised farming advice, AI-enabled creative collaboration, and health monitoring that predicts illness.

Novitzkas said PSI could transform Africa by putting world-class expertise directly in people’s hands, much like mobile phones once leapfrogged landlines. But he cautioned that failing to decentralise intelligence could entrench inequality.

“Africa has the chance not just to catch up, but to leap ahead,” he said, urging policymakers and innovators to recognise PSI as a critical frontier.