Leapfrog - Building Africa's Future in the AI Era

As the world’s superpowers race to master artificial intelligence—building billion-dollar GPU clusters and even commissioning nuclear plants to power them—Africa risks getting left behind, locked in outdated models focused on low-cost labor and raw commodities. But there is a better path.In this book, entrepreneur and AI pioneer Karim Beguir reveals how three technological waves—AI, renewable energy, and digital money—can be leveraged to spark a renaissance across the continent. Tapping on his direct experience co-founding InstaDeep with only two laptops and 2,000 dollars in Africa, Karim provides crucial insights on how to win in a world where intelligence and energy will soon be abundant—and priced accordingly.From advanced AI agents that outsmart PhD researchers, to decentralized solar energy, and to a new digital gold standard, Karim maps out a riveting, action-oriented playbook. Far from business as usual, Leapfrog is a clarion call for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to seize this historical moment. The future is here, and Africa can still shape its own destiny—if it dares to leap.Karim Beguir is the co-founder and CEO of AI startup InstaDeep, launched in Africa and acquired by BioNTech in 2023 in the largest exit so far in African tech and AI outside the US. A graduate of France’s Ecole Polytechnique and New York’s Courant Institute, Karim helps companies and leaders come to grips with the latest AI breakthroughs. A TIME100 Impact Award recipient, Karim advocates for the strategic importance of AI and deep tech innovation for developing countries and is an advisor to several governments, including France and the UK.