Authors: APET Secretariat

This post is the 9th in a blog series published in 2020 by the Secretariat on behalf of the AU High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) and the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogues (CJED).

Effectively harnessing Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) has been identified as an important component of socio-economic development for developed and developing countries across the world. Interestingly, numerous countries have recognized the significance of Research and Development (R&D) output and knowledge generation as vital tools towards achieving their development aspirations. This is because, through robust R&D, STI products can be translated into prototypes of novel or significantly improved commercial products and services essential for transforming the socio-economic status of African communities.

Notably, some of these inventions such as digital technologies have significantly helped preserve governments, public sector institutions, and private sector companies afford and offer essential services throughout the pandemic period. Consequently, numerous institutions have been able to keep their business activities afloat during the pandemic. Unfortunately, several other business enterprises that did not utilise these technologies across the continent have struggled significantly; thus, were compelled to reduce or adjust their business activities. Such austerity measures have exacerbated poverty and increased inequality among humanity.

Without undermining the adverse effects experienced due to the pandemic around the world, the upside of this recently forced innovative technology advancements has demonstrated the futuristic possibilities for the continent as far as AI-linked innovation is concerned. Most importantly, it has given a glimpse to a brighter future, if and when, these innovative technologies are meticulously adopted for humanity, most particularly in Africa.

For the African population to remarkably benefit from such innovations in terms of generating wealth, improve job creation and employment, there is a need to leverage relevant skills suitable for emerging technologies. This can be accomplished by boosting skills sets for Africa’s workforce and entrepreneurship with regards to technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) inspired and supported technologies. AI-enabled technologies have applications in precision medicine and agriculture, data management, digital currencies and financial solutions enabled by AI-blockchain technologies, digital technologies, and the internet of things (IoT).

Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated an accelerated innovative intervention of AI-enabled technologies across the world. For example, several high-technological industries have focused their efforts on AI applications that could heighten sustainable socio-economic development and growth prospects for the African continent. Furthermore, AI coupled with machine learning and blockchain technologies, acting as enabling technologies for other emerging technologies, are driving for more innovative advances in digital financial and banking technologies so to improve financial services and solutions. This is enabled by reliable data processing and management capabilities: thus, helping African entrepreneurs access credit and micro-financing for their business activities.

By collecting and reconciling previously non-traditional data sourced from smartphone records, mobile money transaction data, digital receipt and invoice photographical capturing, text messages, geographical location, and address books, AI can consolidate this asymmetric data into reliable, reproducible, and useful information. As a result, this can create reliable financial trail and credit history for entrepreneurs that can then be utilised to access financial and loan application services by previously disadvantaged small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, AI-enabling policy and regulatory frameworks for Africa can enhance Member States’ growth in productivity through lowering barriers of products and services from entering and expanding market value chain and output. Consequently, this can create and expand the uptake potential of these technologies across the continent. Moreover, creating and expanding AI markets can boost the creation of jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities so to benefit Africa’s economy. For instance, Africa’s e-commerce marketplaces enabled by AI technology solutions are envisaged to create nearly three (3) million jobs by 2025.[1] This will be accomplished through expanding the supply of goods and services; thus, enabling Africa’s businesses to be more productive and access previously inaccessible markets. Consequently, this can effectively unlock the supply-chain demand in Africa’s remote and rural locations.

AI-enabled technologies are therefore alleviating the constraints posed by the poor information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in emerging markets. Additionally, AI-enabled technologies are providing alternative cost-effective solutions that can deliver digital solutions for financial, health, educational, agro-business, and other social services to communities that need them the most. This is particularly crucial more especially in Africa’s rural and remote communities that have inadequate ICT infrastructure. For instance, by capitalizing on the widespread coverage of mobile networks, AI-enabled technologies are increasingly being utilised for precision medicine for early diagnosis of diseases such as cervical cancer. Consequently, this drastically reduces diagnostic equipment costs for struggling African communities. In addition, the incremental deployment of AI-enabled drone technologies and digitally controlled robotics for a myriad of purposes has greatly assisted Africa’s businesses in manufacturing, agri-food processing, mining, among others.

The African Union High-Level Panel on Innovation and Emerging Technologies (APET), in its white paper on “Harnessing Innovation and Emerging Technologies to address the Impact of COVID-19 in Africa” enumerated AI applications on the continent which were being explored and utilised, before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred.[2],[3] The white paper further advocated for their expanded and continuous use in addressing multiple continental challenges, where identified. This is because AI-enabled technologies possess vast applications in socio-economic sectors such as finance, health, agriculture, and manufacturing, among others. The panel is further elucidating the need for harnessing AI on the continent, its upcoming report to be released in 2021.

To significantly enhance AI-enabled transformational socio-economic impact post-COVID-19 pandemic, African Member States are encouraged to formulate, enact, and strengthen the capacity of AI developmentally enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that are human-centric and respectful towards ethical, privacy, and safety standards. Furthermore, African science and technology innovators should lead the innovation and designing of AI-enabled technologies so they can adequately address relevant Africa’s societal challenges with Africa’s localized solutions. This is because African researchers and innovators can adequately capture the unique needs of their local communities. As a result, Africa’s innovators can formulate relevant local solutions, in partnership with collaborators across the world. In addition, there is a need to improve the digital literacy barrier for Africa’s AI technology users. Moreover, there is a need for stakeholder engagements consultations when developing AI applications for African communities. For instance, this stakeholder engagement-led innovation could create an inclusive environment where any illiterate farmer in a rural Africa can access digital and AI-enabled agro-food innovative solutions for their agro-related needs. On the other hand, local teachers through AI-enabled digital and educational solutions can enhance education and teaching experience for their students anywhere in the continent, irrespective of their remoteness from urban areas.

In conclusion, AI-enabled technologies are rapidly granting developing countries with unprecedented digital solutions towards the urgent challenges in Africa’s critical sectors such as health, energy, agri-food, manufacturing, education, mining, and financial services. Such AI solutions will significantly help African governments rebuild better economic activities post the COVID-19 pandemic. Such AI solutions and an AI-enabling environment will drive sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth for African countries once the pandemic crisis subsides. Most importantly, AI-enabled technologies are posing as a vital building block in the socio-economic revitalization efforts of the African continent.

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[1] https://www.news24.com/fin24/entrepreneurs/news/e-commerce-could-create-3-million-jobs-in-africa-in-next-6-years-report-20190409

[2] Preparing Africa for an Artificial Intelligence Future https://runmilainstitute.com

[3] African Union Development Agency - NEPAD. 2020. White Paper: Harnessing Innovation and Emerging Technologies to address the Impact of COVID-19 in Africa. AUDA-NEPAD, Midrand, South Africa.