Browsing: Deployment of AI in Africa

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Harnessing 4IR to propel Africa’s economy to address unemployment

Tech & Business
  • Unemployment is a significant problem in Africa, with many countries experiencing high rates of joblessness.
  • The unemployment rate in Africa was 7.1 per cent in 2020, which is significantly higher than the global average. Youth unemployment in Africa is even more severe, with the youth unemployment rate at 12.9 per cent.
  • Harnessing 4IR presents opportunities to address unemployment in Africa

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has the potential to propel Africa’s economy and address one of its major challenges – unemployment. 4IR technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things, are creating new job opportunities and improving productivity in many sectors. However, harnessing 4IR to address unemployment in Africa requires overcoming some challenges.

What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?

4IR stands for the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” It refers to the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing and other industries, driven by the development of …

Biotechnology and the biopharma industry are growing. From AI-driven drug discovery industry in the US to biotech agriculture in Tanzania, machines are increasingly determine what we eat, what drugs to cure us, machines run our lives. Photo/University of Florida

Artificial Intelligence in Africa – Leveling the narrative

Tech & Business

According to the World Economic Forum, artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute up to USD 15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. However, in Africa, AI market growth has stagnated, estimated at USD 870 million in 2021, with marginal growth forecasted until 2024.

It has been argued that continents in the Global South will continue to benefit less from AI than those in the North. Oxford Insights highlights bottlenecks that have handicapped the growth of AI in Africa including governments requiring the appropriate regulatory environment to support AI development – including adequate data infrastructure, and an innovative vision to implement progress at the state level.

Nonetheless, AI adds invaluable value to multiple industries in Africa (such as fintech and agritech), and progress is being made in key areas to harness the power of AI in the continent. Through the continued development of reliable and far-reaching internet infrastructure and progressive AI …