 Kehad Snydewe
“Don’t judge a fish by how it rides a bicycle” is a favorite saying of mine, as I believe it sums up the experience of some organizations giving advice. It’s my position that ‘one size does not fit all.’ Teaching a fish to ride a bicycle doesn’t work. Thinking we can implement general solutions for individuals and specific challenges simply doesn’t work. This got me thinking about Artificial Intelligence.
AI holds immense potential for Africa to drive development, innovation, and economic growth. If harnessed and leveraged within an African context, it’s a tremendous strategic asset that can catalyze Africa. I like to think of it as AAI, or African Artificial Intelligence.
AAI’s potential is vast, spanning healthcare, agriculture, finance, and education sectors. By leveraging AI, African nations can address the continent’s most pressing challenges, including poverty, healthcare access, and educational disparities. More than 60% of Africa’s population is under 25, so embracing AAI can make Africa a socio-economic powerhouse. AI is linguistically programmed in English (Large Language Models (LLMs) worldwide. Not using local languages can create enormous bias, especially in Africa. Investing in African Artificial Intelligence (AAI) is a must. Artificial Intelligence models are not just about identity but also a strategic issue.
In Africa, AAI can revolutionize healthcare by improving diagnostic accuracy, predicting disease outbreaks, and personalizing treatment plans. For instance, AAI-powered diagnostic tools can help healthcare professionals in remote areas diagnose diseases like malaria and tuberculosis more accurately and quickly, especially if the AAI is trained and fed Africa-specific data. AAI could be implemented to analyze large local datasets, helping to predict and manage disease outbreaks, enabling timely interventions and resource allocation, and creating healthy population groups across the continent.
Many of Africa’s economies are still agrarian-based. AAI significantly enhances productivity and sustainability by creating precision farming and predictive analytics. This can help farmers optimize crop yields, reduce waste, and manage resources more efficiently. Analyzing weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop health through AAI provides farmers with actionable insights, giving them the data to make better decisions and boost agricultural output.
With Africa’s young population, education is essential but often not easily accessible. If developed correctly, AAI has the potential to transform education in Africa by providing personalized learning experiences, improving access to quality education, and addressing teacher shortages. An AAI-driven educational platform can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, ensuring that students receive tailored support and resources. It potentially propels Africa educationally within a generation to catch up with the rest of the world. Truly having ‘Africa Rise.’
Many of us recognize and understand the transformative potential of AI. The African Union (AU) has developed the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy. This strategy aims to promote an Africa-centric, development-focused approach to AI, emphasizing ethical, responsible, and equitable practices. However, what is lacking is funding and investment that embrace the vision of just how transformative AI can be for all of us in Africa.
Suppose we let large international companies implement their Western-centric AI across our continent without addressing challenges specific to Africa’s socio-economic context. We will forever be playing catch-up. That is why we need AAI. It must integrate policies that AI applications are designed to respect cultural values, protect individual rights, and promote social inclusion.
One of the primary challenges is the digital divide. To fully leverage AAI, we must invest in digital infrastructure, expand internet connectivity, and promote digital literacy across the continent. Local experts and companies must be integral to the AAI revolution across Africa.
Companies investing in and reaping billions with the AI revolution should look to Africa as their next growth market. The upside and potential are vast. AAI can play a pivotal role in Africa’s development journey. Moreover, AI can help preserve and advance African culture by promoting local languages, traditions, and knowledge systems through AI-driven applications. It is an issue close to my heart and there’s more to say on this subject than can be encapsulated in one article. We need to talk about it and have companies embrace and invest in African Artificial Intelligence.
Kehad Snydewe is the managing director of Green Enterprise Solutions
