Investigating Artificial Intelligence Digital Sovereignty in Mobile Shopping Apps: A Case Study of Nigeria

A recent study from arXiv investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigerian mobile shopping applications on digital sovereignty. The research highlights the widespread integration of AI in these applications but identifies a significant lack of transparency regarding its use, raising concerns about user control and awareness. The findings underscore the potential for fraud and reduced user agency in an expanding e-commerce landscape.

Why it matters

The limited transparency surrounding AI implementation in mobile applications poses risks to digital sovereignty, affecting user trust and control over personal data and online experiences. This situation has broader implications for regulatory frameworks and consumer protection in digital economies, as it highlights a potential gap between technological advancement and user empowerment.

Key insights

• E-commerce mobile application usage is increasing in Nigeria.
• The expansion of e-commerce apps presents both opportunities and risks, including fraud and diminished user control.
• Concerns about digital sovereignty are emerging due to these risks.
• AI is extensively implemented across mobile shopping applications in Nigeria.
• Transparency concerning AI features and their use in these applications is limited.
• Platform transparency is identified as a key indicator of user awareness and control in relation to digital sovereignty.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.06364