Jouini turns lived experience into culturally grounded AI
Maha Jouini is a Tunisian AI-governance expert, technologist and researcher whose work focuses on developing responsible technology that reflects the realities, dignity and experiences of African and Arab communities.
She is a semi-finalist under the Emerging Technologies Impact Award category at The List Awards 2026.
Jouini’s journey into responsible artificial intelligence was shaped by lived experience, particularly her experience as a breast cancer survivor. During her journey, she experienced how illness can temporarily affect memory, concentration and decision-making, while community can help restore dignity and strength.
Sharing her story with The List Awards by Identities Media, Jouini said her work was shaped by the philosophy of Ubuntu, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu — the belief that a person becomes a person through other people.
“My work was shaped by lived experience and the philosophy of Ubuntu,” she says.
She also recognised how poorly many AI systems understand Arabic-speaking women and vulnerable communities. This inspired her to found CHIFAA, a survivor-led initiative developing culturally grounded, non-diagnostic AI support for women affected by breast and cervical cancer in North Africa.
Through CHIFAA, Jouini seeks to create technology that protects dignity, supports informed choices and recognises lived experience as a form of expertise.
She also founded HIKMA AI, an initiative connecting responsible AI with Arab, African and Islamic traditions of wisdom and social justice.
Her work has contributed to regional AI-governance research, public education and international discussions through UNESCO, the African Union ecosystem and the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI. She has also contributed to initiatives involving AUDA-NEPAD and UNFPA.
In 2026, Jouini received the She Shapes AI Global Award for AI Thought Leadership, recognising her contribution to the field of responsible AI.
For Jouini, recognition at The List Awards would extend beyond her individual journey. She believes it would amplify the communities represented through CHIFAA and HIKMA AI, particularly women whose experiences are often absent from technology design and policy.
“Being recognised by The List Awards would affirm that innovation grounded in lived experience, cultural knowledge and social responsibility deserves visibility,” she says.
Whether she wins or not, Jouini remains committed to building CHIFAA, developing HIKMA AI and advocating for responsible technology shaped by Arab and African realities. Her work continues to place dignity, cultural knowledge and lived experience at the centre of how technology can serve communities.