Africa is all in on the AI wave. Over the past years, its development has been steadily picking up pace, and It's not slowing down anytime soon.
In the next decade, AI is expected to add $15.7 trillion to the global GDP. About $6.6 trillion is estimated to come from boosted productivity, while $9.1 trillion is expected from the effects on consumption.
Just like everyone else around the world, Africa is all in on the AI wave. Over the past years, its development has been steadily picking up pace, and It's not slowing down anytime soon.
Multiple signs point to this growth, ranging from increased participation of Africans in the global AI ecosystem to the establishment of AI startups and companies on the continent.
Even African governments are getting in on the action with the tech of the future. Just a few weeks ago, the Tanzanian government announced plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its e-government platforms to strengthen Tanzania's digital data reservoir, enhance e-related services, and improve the efficiency and transparency of government processes.
While AI holds so many promising benefits for the continent, it also comes with vulnerabilities, especially concerning issues like deepfakes, data bias, privacy concerns, and more. The Bank of Uganda recently conceded that it cannot stop AI fraud.
To discuss the prospects of AI in Africa, Business Insider Africa spoke with Ashley Immanuel, co-founder and COO of Semicolon, and Anu Oyeleye, Senior Product Manager at Herconomy on the sideline of the 2024 Lagos Tech Fest (4th edition.)
BI Africa: What can be done to increase data access and quality in African economies for AI developments?
Ashley Immanuel: Even if you have amazing technology today, people do not know how many farmers are in Jigawa state, for instance, because nobody has gone out to digitize that raw data. Everybody wants data, but people don't want to pay for it. There is a little bit of rethinking that we need to do in the ecosystem.
In Africa, businesses should consider biodata and explore collaborations with industries to facilitate primary data collection. For example, the financial sector could collaborate to digitize currently untouched data and leverage it to its advantage. Ultimately, success lies in the ecosystem working together. Sometimes it could be the effort can also help.
The more we push out solutions that are desirable, affordable, and relevant for people presently not using digital solutions, the more data that will be generated.
Bi Africa: What strategies can Africa employ to ensure that AI adoption leads to job creation rather than job loss?
Ashley Immanuel: The fear of job loss has been happening before AI; computers were automating work done manually.
My company, Semicolon, is building the next generation of tech-focused talent and leaders. We are not looking at the skills they need today but the ones they need in the future. And it tends to be those skills around thinking, innovation, creativity, and understanding people and systems.
By 2040, half of the working-age population will be in Africa, and it will only continue to expand. So, I think if the future workforce is here. There are a lot of opportunities to innovate, create companies, and create new jobs around making our lives easier. And AI can drive some of those new companies.
Anu Oyeleye: First, you need to embrace the fact that AI is here to stay. Then you have to look for the different skills that will enhance your knowledge of AI. We have a lot of skills like data analytics, software engineering etcetera. AI is going to be relevant across all industries. Using the upcoming skills can help you up your employment game and easily transition.
BI Africa: When talking about AI in Africa, what steps can be taken to deal with the scarcity of data?
Anu Oyeleye: Africa at large is a data landmine. We have a lot of data. Governments of each country need to facilitate a framework for efficient data mining. We know we have a lot of raw data that people need to get access to. It is there, but people do not know where to get the data from. Similarly, industries have valuable data, but the absence of a centralized data centre creates challenges in data distribution. Governments of each African country need to create an enabling environment to help people have access to data, and this can be done through partnerships.
BI Africa: How can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria leverage AI technologies to enhance their competitiveness and create job opportunities?
Anu Oyeleye: AI is very broad, and it can fall into the wrong hands because it uses data. You need data, and also, invariably, you need AI to enhance your job or business. And the only way to do this is to have access to data first of all. You need data to make better business decisions. However, caution is required in AI utilization due to data protection, privacy, and policies. Misuse of data, even without AI, can result in consequences. Additionally, consider which aspect of AI you wish to employ: cognitive or generative.