Digital Salon
Global Perspectives on: AI
How to Leverage Homegrown AI Solutions for Economic Growth in Africa
Digital Salon: Global Perspectives on: AI
March 13, 2024
online / Zoom
Africa is experiencing an AI boom, with 2,400+ organizations transforming sectors like healthcare and agriculture. But challenges persist. External tech players could take advantage of local data, sidelining Africa’s AI ambitions. We will explore the transformative potential of digital sovereignty for the African continent, engaging in dialogue with AI experts.
Key Takeaways
AI Policies
The African AI ecosystem presents many opportunities but requires proper infrastructure, policies, and data access. Bridging gaps in accessibility, connectivity, and affordability is crucial. Addressing data scarcity is also vital, as most current solutions rely on data from outside Africa. Only 11% of Large Language Models reflect African linguistics. To foster innovation securely, local governments must enact adequate AI policies, reducing risk for private sector investment in African AI projects.
Home Grown Solutions
Meeting local needs requires local data sets. Africa aims to gain data sovereignty and develop homegrown AI solutions. Unified pan-African AI policies provide investment planning security, highlight the continent's potential, and facilitate investments. Africa can learn from existing approaches while setting new standards like green, ethical, and human-centered AI focused on solving societal challenges in education, finance, agriculture, and climate change rather than just commercial interests.
Unique Opportunities
Africa's open canvas for AI aligns with its unique opportunities in human capital and scale. Within 5 years, Africa will have the world's largest workforce. The influential African diaspora may bring expertise back to the continent. Thus, investing in talent is crucial to prepare for the AI shift. Building a strong talent pool in data science, machine learning, and AI development is needed. To enable this critical mass, infrastructure must be affordable, accessible, and tailored to develop African solutions for global issues.
Contact Persons
Rhoda Berger, r.berger@globalperspectives.org
Digital Salon
The digital dialogue series "Global Perspectives on" is featuring European and African decision-makers in discussion about the relevant topics and developments for both continents.
Related Program
With a new space agency and an upcoming space port on the continent, the African space industry is capturing global attention. What does this mean for European-African cooperation?
The fifth edition of The Africa Roundtable focussed on employability, skills and training and examine the possibilities of equal education and training for Africa's youth.
We explored current trends and developments in Africa's financial sector and discussed the actions needed by businesses and governments to improve the financial landscape on the continent.
Investments in women's health are threatened by budget cuts and anti-gender movements. In our webinar, we discussed innovative strategies to drive progress in our digital dialogue.
Together with the Agency for Business and Development, we shed light on what obstacles women face when starting their own business.
The start-up sector in Europe and Africa is booming and the chances and needs for further investments are enormous. However, many German investors still show reluctance.
Together with the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, we interviewed experts from the African continent on their perspectives on the German Africa Policy.
The sixth edition of the Africa Roundtable focuses on how the African continent can unlock its full potential as an agricultural powerhouse.
Program Archive
Our discussion at Raw Material Congress focused on fostering smart and sustainable European-African partnerships in raw materials to meet demand, boost African growth, and support energy transitions.
The Summit of the Future and the Hamburg Sustainability Conference attracted worldwide attention. We discussed the implementation of the resolutions into concrete changes.
AI could revolutionize healthcare in Africa. At the World Health Summit, we discussed AI's potential to improve healthcare equity and access.
We explored current trends and developments in Africa's financial sector and discussed the actions needed by businesses and governments to improve the financial landscape on the continent.
The distribution of power in the international system is changing. We interviewed 10 experts from the so-called 'Global South' to get their insight into their perception of Germany's role.
Africa's creative industries are booming and changing the global cultural landscape. We discussed the growing industry with Nollywood director Funke Akindele and writer Lola Shoneyin.
Investments in women's health are threatened by budget cuts and anti-gender movements. In our webinar, we discussed innovative strategies to drive progress in our digital dialogue.
The inequalities in the global health system have a significant impact on the financial situation of women. We discussed economic growth through equal opportunities.
Together with David Miliband, CEO & President of IRC, and selected stakeholders from politics, business, academia, we discussed Germany's responsibilities in an international system in crisis.