Artificial Intellegence - Under Discused In Africa

Artificial intelligence can transform government services, from preventing traffic congestion and providing speedy customer service to predicting crime and infrastructure failure. If implemented properly, AI could deliver an additional $939 billion in value across the public sectors of 16 major developed economies by 2035.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most exciting technologies today, and Africa doesn't want to be left behind.

Today a majority of the AI industry is in North America, Europe and Asia.

Efforts are being made to train computer scientists from African nations, as AI can be used to solve many complex challenges.

In a bid to improve diversity, tech giants are providing investment to develop new talent.

In April, Google opened its first African AI research centre in Ghana.

The AI laboratory, based in Accra, will be used to develop solutions to help improve healthcare, agriculture and education.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Google's head of AI Accra Moustapha Cisse is from Senegal.

After completing an undergraduate degree in maths and physics in Senegal, he taught himself AI and then went to study in Paris, before joining Facebook.

There are very few AI researchers from Africa, and Mr Cisse has faced great obstacles in achieving his ambitions.

"Despite the support, many of us still have trouble making it to conferences. I have had papers accepted at meetings but been unable to attend because Western countries such as Australia denied me a visa, even though I was already settled and working professionally in Europe," he wrote in his blog.

"We need more efforts to overcome these barriers and to ensure that the benefits of AI arrive globally."

He has long been concerned that AI is a missed opportunity for improving African lives, and that the AI industry is missing out on talent from African nations, because they do not have access to the right education.

BBC