Africa needs its own AI solutions, not borrowed ones, experts say

That is the opinion of one UN member expert who is supported Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial IntelligenceGirmaw Abebe Tadesse, who leads Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab in Kenya.

In an exclusive interview with UN News in Nairobi, Tadesse said the first step for the continent is to identify the key issues 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 later that day High Level Week where greater attention is focused on how leading-edge technologies can be safely managed for the benefit of everyone.

Problem solving approach

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

“We try to present the reality of our environment and integrate AI technology with the local problems we face. It is important to ask ourselves what problem we want to solve firsthe said.

He explained, after identifying these challenges, it was necessary to assess the type of infrastructure, technology and data needed to provide solutions.

Collaboration and diversity

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

He said that stakeholders must share knowledge, experience and expertise to create solutions that suit the African environment even in situations of limited resources.

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

The role of African youth

The expert added that the rapid growth of technology and the large number of young people in Africa are opportunities that can make this continent an important center for AI innovation in the world.

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

In his view, the mix of passionate young people, technology innovators and development partners makes Africa an ideal place to collaborate on building development-oriented AI systems.

Collaboration is the key

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

“African countries need to collaborate more, share experiences and learn from each other’s successes rather than 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 remarks come as AI adoption 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 countries’ ability to work together, set shared priorities and invest in solutions based on the needs of their citizens.