MASTERING SOVEREIGN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, owning and shaping the future in the age of AI

407pp., maps, illus., paperback, Tracey McDonald Publishers, Johannesburg, 2025

ISBN: 9781998958634

With contributions from Somil Gupta, Prof Benjamin Rosman, Isazi Consulting, Dr Tapiwa Chiwewe, Aaron Frank, Atenkosi Ngubevana, Ambassador Dr Lavina Ramkissoon and Mic Mann.

Mark Nasila explains what sovereign AI really means, how it differs from other AI models, and why understanding it is essential for the future. He outlines the shifting geopolitical landscape of AI and the emerging trends shaping international competition, and how AI intersects with national security, the economy, and global power.

Dr Mark Nasila is the Chief Data and Analytics Officer at First National Bank Risk, and shares his expertise at the Singularity Group, specialising in AI, data science, and data strategies. He is a leading member of the National Institute for Theoretical Physics and Computational Sciences, a research fellow at Stellenbosch University, and a Professor of Practice in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Johannesburg. He was named among the 2020 Global Top 100 Innovators in Data and Analytics by Corinium Global Intelligence, received the 2022 Southern Africa Finnovator of the Year at FINNOVEX, and won the Excellence in Data & Analytics award at the DigiBank Summit. Dr Nasila is a board member of Moody’s Analytics Europe and Africa advisory board, the recipient of an Honorary Member award from the Golden Key International Honour Society, and a 2023 Technology Excellence Award winner at the IITPSA Annual President’s Awards.