08 Nov 2023

There might be ways to benefit from the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) without overshadowing human creativity in literature. 

A renowned Motswana author and poet, Khumoetsile Magonare, who had recently attended the sixth African Writers Annual Conference in Accra, Ghana recently, said this in an interview. 

While she appreciated technology, she said she believed that machines could never replace human creativity. 

Held under the theme; The Impacts of Artificial Intelligence in African Literature, she said the conference served as a platform for African literary minds to come together and exchange ideas for the betterment of African literature. 

“African writers coming together to share ideas are what we need as creatives to develop and inspire our content. 

Africans understand the power of the word. Our literature can do so much to elevate Africa as a continent,” she said. 

She further stressed the importance of the conference saying it served as a platform for connecting with like-minded individuals. 

She also said the literary landscape in Botswana continued to grow with new authors, writers and poets emerging daily. 

She therefore called for collaboration and marketing efforts beyond borders. 

Magonare, who started writing when 16-years-old, said Botswana’s rich culture served as both inspiration and guidance for her writing. 

She said the power of Botswana culture lies in its ability to instill humility adding that promoting and embracing Setswana culture was essential if writing had to had a meaningful impact on the society. 

She said she started writing through participating in an essay competition, which was organised by Mmegi. 

To her surprise, the essay was published in the paper. 

That, she said ignited her passion for writing. She started her writing career as a freelance journalist for Mmegi, while she was still at tertiary back in 2013 and she has never looked back. Ends