From the Internet to Artificial Intelligence: The Evolution of the Digital World

The SESAME Digital & AI Symposium 2026, held on 4 November 2026 at SESAME University, in partnership with ATUGE and DIGITAfrica, brought together internationally renowned researchers, academic experts, business executives, entrepreneurs, representatives of associations and institutions, as well as students, for a French-language symposium exploring the theme “From the Internet to Artificial Intelligence: The Evolution of the Digital World.”

This first edition explored the major developments shaping the digital world, from the Internet and its underlying infrastructure to recent advances in Artificial Intelligence. It examined their impact on knowledge, education and various sectors, as well as emerging challenges related to trust, sovereignty, skills development and the growth of the digital and AI ecosystem.

The symposium aimed to foster dialogue between academia, industry and stakeholders across the digital and AI ecosystem, while contributing to broader discussions on the transformations driven by digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence.

The programme featured an opening session, four thematic sessions and a concluding roundtable discussion, covering topics ranging from next-generation digital infrastructure and AI developments to education, industry transformation and the future of the digital and AI ecosystem. DIGITAfrica partners contributed to the opening session and the concluding roundtable discussion.