At this year’s Mobile World Congress held from February 26-29 in Barcelona, Spain, 41 sessions focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) were held. With over 90,000 attendees, this was one of the global events where a deep dive into this subject was conducted as more became interested in its growth, impact, and potential to change human lives.

Globally, AI is being touted as the game-changer in how commercial firms conduct their business operations with its limitless potential applications coming into play. According to leading professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), “AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030, more than the current output of China and India combined” That is a 14 percent increase in global GDP generated through AI.

“As humans and machines collaborate more closely, and AI innovations come out of the research lab and into the mainstream, the transformational possibilities are staggering,” states PwC in their report, Sizing the Prize.

Among the sectors that will derive such “transformational possibilities” from this growing form of technology is education, where it can help educators analyse data quickly and efficiently thus leapfrogging learners and teachers from manual processes to machines. 

According to the 2023 Global Markets Insights report, AI in the education market reached $4 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow by more than 10 percent from 2023 to 2032, “owing to the growing inclination towards personalized learning”.  According to the report, adoption of AI in the education market is growing through “comprehensive data collection and analysis for offering valuable insights to educators, administrators and policymakers”.

With such growing attention toward AI, the April 2024 edition of the Mastercard Foundation’s EdTech Mondays delved deeper into the role of this technology in education within the African framework.

“AI is transforming the global economy and will have a major impact in education. For example, we can teach machines how to mark exams while teachers take on higher roles,” says Mutembei Kariuki, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Fastagger. “We are teaching machines to think and do things that humans do. Leaving AI to handle routine matters will then elevate teachers to where they are supposed to be, as mentors to the learners.”

Kariuki’s views are in line with the role played by AI, a phrase that has technology geeks’ antennas up in the air but whose full impact is yet to be felt especially in developing countries. In education, AI presents opportunities and challenges—opportunities in that it can teach students new things with individualized perspectives. On the other hand, the key challenge for educators and policymakers is the need to change their mindsets to incorporate the new reality.

“AI is coming and is very disruptive as people grapple with what it can do,” says Matthew Grollnek, Future of Work Lead at the Mastercard Foundation. “People are grappling with what it can do, while few know the answers. Some people think it is scary and that we will not be able to contain it. It will present a big shift as education moves to a new system replacing one that has been there for over 100 years. The question is how to maximize the benefits and address the risks.”

However, lack of clear policy framework is a key impediment to the full realization of AI benefits in many African countries. As is the case in many areas of development, technological practices have been moving ahead of policy and forcing governments to play catch up. That though, is set to change as the African Union moves to assert its influence on AI deployment through the Continental Strategy on AI that has prioritized education and preservation of African languages as key sectors to benefit from this technology.

The AU strategy will address one key concern relating to the limited use of Africa datasets with the continent relying on processes developed from outside Africa. The African Union Digital Education Strategy and Implementation Plan, covering the 2023-2028 timeframe, has established a framework for engagement and acceleration of digital technologies to align with Africa’s digital education.

The areas where technology, including AI, will be deployed include teaching, learning, research, assessment, and administration; strengthening digital literacy and skills for all, especially for teachers and students; and building the capacity of AU member states in requisite infrastructure for digital education.

Already some African countries are leapfrogging the process.  Rwanda, as an example, is the first African country to have an AI policy that acts as a roadmap to harness the benefits and mitigate associated risks, especially those associated with sharing children’s data with those who should not have access to such information.

“AI is ready for some subjects including coding and some mathematical equations. This will reduce the workload for teachers, especially those trained on how to use it responsibly. It will also bring inclusion and equity to learners with various impairments since Africa lacks enough schools for children with special needs,” says Christine Niyizamwiyitira, Scholar in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University.

According to the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, by 2030, Africa’s workforce will reach a billion people, with 375 million young people entering the job market. These will require a shift in education strategies, and AI programs could equip them with new skill sets needed in the job market.

As the panelists stated, AI will not replace teachers but enhance their role to include the ability to curate learning experiences while holistically supporting a learner’s growth and emotional well-being in the classroom. The future of AI in education is indeed now.