AI in Africa — The Circus Elephant

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize industries and improve lives in Africa, but the development and implementation of AI on the continent have been slow. According to a report by the African Development Bank, only 1% of Africa’s GDP is invested in research and development, with a majority of this investment going towards natural sciences and engineering, leaving little to no room for AI development. This is partly due to the fact that AI is often viewed as a “circus elephant” in African politics: a flashy and impressive technology that is brought out for a show, but not given the resources and support it needs to truly thrive. In this article, we will explore some of the factors that have slowed the development and implementation of AI in Africa, with a specific focus on Nigeria, and suggest potential solutions for overcoming these obstacles.

Challenges

Lack of political will — One major barrier to the development and implementation of AI in Africa is a lack of political will. Many African governments have yet to fully recognize the potential of AI and invest in its development. This is partly due to a lack of understanding of the technology and its capabilities, as well as a lack of resources and personnel to effectively implement AI projects. Additionally, some governments may be hesitant to invest in AI due to concerns about job displacement and the potential for AI to be used for surveillance and control.

Political Instability — In Nigeria, political instability and a lack of a clear regulatory framework for AI have hindered the growth of the technology. According to a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigeria’s ICT sector only accounts for about 10% of the country’s GDP, with a majority of this investment going towards telecommunications, leaving little room for AI development. Moreover, the lack of investment in infrastructure and education has also limited the development of AI in the country. The lack of a clear regulatory framework for AI and lack of education in the field has led to an absence of a skilled workforce and lack of trust in the technology among Nigerian citizens.

Lack of technology infrastructure — Another obstacle to the development and implementation of AI in Africa is a lack of infrastructure and access to technology. Many parts of Africa still lack basic infrastructure such as reliable electricity and internet access, which makes it difficult to implement and use AI technologies. According to the World Bank, only 40% of Nigeria’s population has access to electricity, and less than half of the population has access to the internet. Additionally, many African citizens do not have access to technology or the skills to use it, which further limits the potential of AI on the continent. In Nigeria, the lack of electricity and internet access in many rural areas has hindered the development of AI in the country.

Lack of available data — In addition to these challenges, there is also a lack of data available for training AI models in Africa. Many African countries have limited data infrastructure and lack the resources to collect and store large amounts of data. This makes it difficult for researchers and developers to build and train AI models that are tailored to the specific needs of the continent. In Nigeria, the lack of data infrastructure and the absence of a data protection law has led to a lack of trust in the technology among the citizens and limits the amount of data available for training AI models.

Solutions

Despite these challenges, there are several solutions that can help overcome these obstacles and accelerate the development and implementation of AI in Africa.

Increased investment — One key solution is increased investment in AI infrastructure and technology. This includes investing in basic infrastructure such as electricity and internet access, as well as providing access to technology and training for African citizens. Additionally, governments and organizations should invest in data infrastructure and collection to improve the availability of data for AI training and research.

Involve the locals — Another solution is to involve local communities and stakeholders in the development and implementation of AI projects. This can help ensure that AI is developed and implemented in a way that favours the locals and stakeholders living in the region.

Impact of AI on the western world

AI has already had a significant impact on many industries in western nations. For example, the healthcare industry has seen the development of AI-powered diagnostic tools, such as IBM’s Watson Health, which can help doctors quickly analyze large amounts of medical data and make more accurate diagnoses. In the financial sector, AI-powered algorithms are used for tasks such as fraud detection and risk management. In the transportation industry, self-driving cars and drones are being developed and tested.

In retail, companies like Amazon and Walmart are using AI-powered systems for tasks such as inventory management and personalized product recommendations. In the manufacturing industry, companies like GE and Siemens are using AI-powered systems for predictive maintenance and optimizing production processes.

Some of the leading companies in the development of AI technologies include Google, IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook. These companies have invested heavily in AI research and development, and have developed a wide range of AI-powered products and services. For example, Google has developed the TensorFlow open-source machine learning framework, while IBM has developed the Watson AI platform. Microsoft has developed the Azure Machine Learning platform, Amazon has developed the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Machine Learning platform, and Facebook has developed the Facebook AI Research (FAIR) lab.

Additionally, there are a number of startups and smaller companies that are also making significant contributions to the development of AI technologies. Some examples include OpenAI, DeepMind, Sentient Technologies, and Nutonomy.

Finally

Governments and organizations should work together to establish regulations and guidelines for the use of AI to ensure that it is used ethically and responsibly. This includes guidelines for data privacy and security, as well as regulations to protect against job displacement and the potential for AI to be used for surveillance and control.

In conclusion, the development and implementation of AI in Africa have been slow, but there are several solutions that can help overcome the obstacles that have slowed its progress. By investing in infrastructure and technology, involving local communities and stakeholders, and establishing regulations and guidelines, we can help ensure that AI is developed and implemented in a way that benefits all Africans. It is important to remember that AI is not a circus elephant but a powerful tool that can bring social and economic change to the continent, but it needs to be nurtured and supported to reach its full potential.