Abstract

Africa deserves to be acknowledged for her position in the knowledge production ecosystem. To this end, international research collaborations are a vital source of intellectual capital for strengthening Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Africa's research profile. Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations urges nations to "revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development." Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into research activities at every stage of a study's life cycle. It serves as a thinking partner in the early conceptualization of research ideas, aids in literature reviews, assists with data capture and transcription, analyses data sets, helps visualise findings, and enhances academic writing. However, despite a global movement towards accepting AI as a valuable mechanism to transform the research landscape, the challenges concerning irresponsible usage remain a high priority. Key issues to address in collaborative research include equity and fairness in AI deployment, equitable benefit-sharing, equal opportunities for capacity building and developing AI literary skills, and upholding AI accountability and ethical standards. Research Managers and Administrators (RMAs) are in an ideal position to guide researchers in considering the responsible use of AI in fair and equitable collaborative research through policy and guideline development. To this end, the presentation will focus on how the Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations can be used as a framework to strengthen equity, inclusivity, and ethical practices concerning collaborators' use of AI in research. The Charter aims to capacitate African researchers and institutions to enter collaborations with Global North partners founded on epistemic justice. I contend and will show that the Charter can also be broadly applied to South-South partnerships, providing a valuable framework for considering how equality and fairness can be jointly developed through measures that encourage responsible AI use. The presentation will stimulate dialogue on the practical aspects of responsible AI use in international research collaborations.