Gebeya and IREX Launch AI Creative Challenge for African Innovators on Local Infrastructure

Pan-African AI company Gebeya, in collaboration with US non-profit IREX, has opened applications for the CANEX Create-Thon 2026. This initiative offers alumni of IREX programs a pathway into one of the continent's major AI creative challenges, focusing on music, video, and games. The Create-Thon is part of the African Export-Import Bank's Creative Africa Nexus, which aims to bolster the continent's creative economy.

The competition stands out because it leverages Gebeya's Dala Studio, an AI platform that runs on African data centers and GPU infrastructure provided by Cassava Technologies. This means the creative tools are built by an African company, hosted on African compute, and targeted at African creators, reducing reliance on foreign infrastructure. This approach addresses a critical gap in African AI development, where much activity currently depends on external resources.

Gebeya CEO Amadou Daffe emphasized that AI is democratizing technology creation, shifting the focus from coding speed to problem-solving. The Create-Thon encourages participants to develop AI-powered creative products that improve lives. The initiative also provides mentorship and access to a pan-African network, aligning with Afreximbank's broader support for the creative sector through various funding facilities.

The music category, in particular, enters a crucial debate regarding data representation. With 94% of AI music models trained on Western data, the Create-Thon presents an opportunity for African creators to build AI music products trained on African material, potentially addressing the significant representation gap and ensuring African cultural nuances are preserved and promoted within AI-generated content. This could lead to more authentic and culturally relevant AI outputs, fostering innovation that truly reflects the continent's diverse heritage.