Summary: With the rapid pace of technology, we need more urgent action globally, but especially in emerging markets. We cannot create enough jobs to see our way out of the current state, but we can use technology to increase wealth & to reduce the cost of living. This is a global call with a particular focus on the Africa and an ask to the African Union.

Full Description: The world is being redesigned—with algorithms, automation, and artificial intelligence. Jobs as we know them are disappearing, for the better. New economic systems are emerging. But there is a collective, energy - a sense that most people are tired, overworked, underpaid, and not being centered in this AI world. Some who have amassed a lot of wealth are lonely, feeling empty, and wondering if this is all there is to it. If you're in neither category, we still need you.

This all begs the question, what are we all doing and why? What is the vision for the future of humanity? 

It isn't clear because it hasn't been defined. For the first time in human history, we aren't just trying to survive, we actually have to figure out how AI can help humanity thrive. It not, we put the future of humanity at risk, entirely. We the people have to decide if we want to change its trajectory or just allow the current train to keep running until it falls off the tracks.

But we do not have to wait for that. Imagine a world where everyone has wealth on a broad spectrum - from health, to community, to purpose, and financial wealth. Where work is in the hours per week range and that means enough to more than sustain you and your family. The levels of innovation and creativity it would lead to are astounding - that is the future we need.

This is a call for citizens globally to firmly decide that AI has to augment humans, to reduce the cost of what it takes to live by building capacity in areas that the private and public sector have truthfully failed at despite the millions being thrown at all sorts of problems from healthcare to education and beyond. Secondly, this is a call for  consortium style mechanism that can help develop AI for society building that creates wealth for all - while still retaining our fundamental capitalistic economies.

My vantage point lies between the gap, having lived in the US and Nigeria, and working with startups across Africa and the diaspora - I am seeing how the continent richest in human and natural resources could lead this effort in partnership with other regions of the world. I believe this initial effort can be led from Africa and I invite other markets — to pioneer an open-source AI ecosystem that enables builders, founders, public institutions, and private enterprises to work together to solve society’s biggest challenges.

Lastly, this call is on the African Union to launch Africa’s Open-Source AI Society (AOSAIS)— a coalition of farmers, technologists, economists, teachers, entertainers, journalists, homemakers, policymakers, nurses, community leaders and more, to work with the 6 regions of Africa (including the diaspora) on:

1. Vision & Mandate: We set the vision centered around reducing the cost of living through the use of AI as a society builder, in collaboration with African's Open Source AI Society, which has regional representation. This group would Create governance frameworks that ensure AI is used ethically, equitably, and sustainably
2. Launch Regional AI Open Source Infrastructure: Similar to Inda's Stack, Mila Quebec, and Bloom - Each region would have a primary focus for their stack to develop, that once completed, would be shared with other regions to build on top of
3. Map the Cost of living stack: Each region would breakdown the 6-8 drivers of the cost of living and identify opportunities to cut by 50% (or more) through technology
4. Incubate builders through innovation challenges: From fellowships to hackathons to open source challenges in each region to source the best ideas that would then be developed and built into the regional stack
5. Create public access & citizen feedback loops: From AI kiosks to voice assistants via cell phones, from AI literacy campaigns to feedback forums, citizens at all levels need to be engaged
6. Measure impact: Each country would have a national scorecard for cost of living and human development, with transparency in the process and continuous communication about what is working and what isn't
7. Collaborate across other regions of the world: We will start in Africa, but believe it should be a global call, citizens all over the world need this at scale, and fast
    

A Global Call

While Africa will lead this initiative, this petition calls on other developed and emerging markets to form regional open-source AI societies that will collaborate in a Global Network of AI for Humanity. Together, these regional hubs will:

1. Share open-source code and platforms
2. Collaborate on joint research and innovation
3. Trade AI-driven solutions that address common development challenges
    

The Ask

1. The African Union to adopt this proposal at the next AU Summit
2. Regional blocs such as ASEAN, MERCOSUR, and CARICOM to explore similar initiatives and join the Global Network 
3. Multilateral organizations to provide funding, technical assistance, and policy alignment for cross-border collaboration

This is about more than just the technology

When AI is built as infrastructure, governed with justice, and rooted in community, it becomes a powerful society builder. This is how we birth a future where the place you happen to be born doesn't limit what you can build or the quality of your life. This is a future where wealth for all means we can reclaim the living part of our lives back with technology helping us thrive.

If you believe in an open, abundant, and collaborative future for everyone, sign this petition. Let’s build the infrastructure of tomorrow, together today.