AICE Set To Hold 2nd AI For Leaders’ Summit in Kenya

The Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence Africa (AICE) is hosting its 2^nd AI For Leaders’ Summit in Kenya on the 27th of April. The event is for industry leaders to explore the growth and transformative value of AI technology in emerging economies.

The summit will cover a range of topics including how Africa can develop a clear AI strategy; Investing in AI infrastructure; training and upskilling the workforce; fostering collaboration and partnerships across academia, industry, and government to promote the development and deployment of AI solutions and ethical AI concerns.

John Kamara, Founder and Chair for AICE has said that as the world is on an AI frenzy and Africa has to accelerate its vision and participation in the immense value the AI industru has to offer the continent.

“We need to create a strategy on how we too can become producers and owners of technology infrastructure and not just consumers as is the case now.  To do this, we must invest in AI and data science talent as a key driver to building qualitative human capital that can have a massive impact on our FDI. Investing in AI research, training more AI engineers, investing in AI start-ups, and investing in the infrastructure required to support AI are essential for Africa to fully leverage the opportunity presented by the 4IR,” Kamara noted.

By leveraging AI technology, African countries can automate and streamline various processes across sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture. For instance, AI algorithms can be used to diagnose diseases and recommend treatment plans, streamline administrative tasks in schools and universities, and optimize crop production in agriculture. Such solutions can lead to better outcomes, increased productivity, and cost savings, all of which can contribute to the growth of the African economy.

The summit has attracted some of the top global AI leaders as panellists including but not limited to: Amit Kumar Pandey: Co-Founder of BEING AI, Dr Jacques Ludik: Founder & CEO, Machine Intelligence Institute Africa, Ado Lõhmus: CEO Greenziel Ltd, Dr Kwon Choon: Chairman of NACSI, and Kate Kalot: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, previously Director, Head of Global Developer Relations & Emerging Areas at NVIDIA.

The AI Summit for Leaders aims to build a solid foundation for AI adoption in Kenya and beyond including building smart capacity and grow the AI market economy.

“As the future of Africa’s emerging economies, AI technology offers enormous potential for growth and development, and AICE is committed to ensuring that Kenya is at the forefront of this transformative revolution. We have started by developing an AI-enabled workforce by providing training and resources to AI engineers and data scientists, and by promoting research and development in the field of AI,” Kamara further stated.

Kenya is already making strides in the adoption of AI technology, with several start-ups and organisations leveraging the technology to solve various challenges. However, there is still a long way to go, and AICE is committed to accelerating the process of AI transformation, with the ultimate goal of transforming Kenya’s economy and ensuring that it remains competitive in the rapidly changing global landscape.