Artificial Intelligence: What opportunities and challenges does it bring to East Africa?

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in East Africa has brought about numerous opportunities and challenges, with organizations like Samasource Kenya leading the charge in training young individuals in AI technologies. With the increasing adoption of AI in various sectors, concerns about job losses, data security, and the ability to surpass human intelligence have been raised. However, Liliosa Muturi, Impact Manager at Samasource Kenya, sheds light on the positive impacts of AI and the steps being taken to address these concerns. The education system in Kenya is proving to be conducive to equipping youths with the necessary skills for AI programs, with initiatives such as two-week training programs focusing on digital basics for machine learning and image annotation. Muturi also emphasizes the importance of integrating AI education at a grassroot level in primary and high school curriculums. Companies like Samasource are working closely with clients to ensure compliance with global data protection regulations and responsible AI building practices to mitigate risks. The interview highlights the necessity of human intelligence in making AI applications work optimally, with the evolution of both computers and humans. In terms of policies, strides are being made to develop regulations around AI, with Kenya passing data protection bills in alignment with global standards. Since the establishment of an AI hub in East Africa by Samasource, over 2,500 individuals have been trained in AI technologies, positively impacting over 50,000 people by providing sustainable income opportunities. The hub focuses on training ground truth data for AI applications in virtual reality and augmented reality, with 25% of Fortune 50 companies trusting Samasource for data training. AI is viewed as a solution to challenges across various sectors in Kenya, with online retail outlets and Internet of Things companies leveraging AI for data-driven decision making and research efforts. Looking to the future, Samasource aims to continue creating employment opportunities in AI to address the high unemployment rates in Kenya and spark discussions around regulations, ethics, and bias reduction in AI on a global scale.