Africa needs its own AI solutions, not borrowed ones, says expert

That’s the opinion of one of the expert members of the UN-backed Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, who leads Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab in Kenya. 

In an exclusive interview with UN News in Nairobi, Mr. Tadesse said the first step for the continent is to identify key problems that need to be addressed before deciding on the type of technology, infrastructure and data needed. 

The interview took place as world leaders, policy experts and top AI executives met at UN Headquarters in New York during High-Level Week where greater attention is being focused on how the frontier technology can be safely managed for the benefit of all.  

Mr. Tadesse believes that African countries should adopt an approach that takes into account the challenges their citizens face every day. 

“We are trying to bring the reality of our environment and integrate AI technology with the local problems we face. It is important to ask ourselves what problems we want to solve first,” he said. 

He explained that after identifying these challenges, an assessment should be made of the type of infrastructure, technology and data needed to provide solutions. 

He stressed the importance of collaboration between governments, higher education institutions, development partners, creative communities and technology companies. 

He said that stakeholders should share knowledge, experience and expertise to create solutions that meet the African environment even in a situation of limited resources. 

“When we bring together diverse stakeholders, we can use existing knowledge and wisdom to produce solutions needed by our communities,” he explained. 

The expert added that the rapid growth of technology and the large number of young people in Africa represent an opportunity that can make the continent an important hub for AI innovation in the world. 

“Many young people are already using technology to solve the challenges of their communities, while there are also investors and development partners willing to support these efforts,” he said. 

In his view, this mix of passionate young people, technology innovators and development partners makes Africa an ideal place for collaboration in building development-oriented AI systems. 

However, Mr. Tadesse warned that the continent needs to accelerate cooperation between countries and its institutions to avoid duplicating work already done by others. 

“There is a need for African countries to collaborate more, share experiences and learn from each other's successes instead of each starting from scratch. If we work together, the future is bright. But we don't have much time to wait,” he stressed. 

Mr. Tadesse's statement comes as the adoption of AI continues to grow rapidly – from education, health and agriculture to business and public services. 

He said the success of AI in Africa will depend on the ability of countries to join forces, set common priorities and invest in solutions that are based on the needs of their citizens.