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Smart Africa, a pan-African initiative, has launched the Africa AI Council, a new initiative aimed at driving artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and innovation across the continent.
The council would serve as a central body to promote collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and academic institutions to harness AI for economic and social development.
The Africa AI Council comprises 15 members being government representatives, private sector leaders, AI experts, civil society members, and academics, reports TechPoint.
Its primary function was developing policies, fostering innovation, and creating an enabling environment for AI development in Africa.
Smart Africa is a pan-African initiative launched in 2013 to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development through ICT and digital transformation.
The alliance currently includes 39 African countries, representing over 1 billion people and fostering collaboration to leverage technology for economic growth.
Through initiatives such as the Smart Africa Digital Academy and the One Africa Network, Smart Africa works to drive innovation and connectivity across the continent.
One of the primary objectives of the Africa AI Council was to leverage AI for economic development and by integrating AI into key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and finance, Africa can enhance productivity and create new economic opportunities.
These innovations have the potential to transform industries and create employment opportunities, positioning Africa as a competitive player in the global AI ecosystem.
Despite its potential, Africa faces several challenges in AI adoption, including inadequate digital infrastructure, a limited skilled workforce, and concerns over data privacy.
The Africa AI Council aims to address these obstacles by promoting investments in AI infrastructure, facilitating AI education programs, and establishing policies that balance innovation with ethical AI use.
By working closely with governments and educational institutions, the Council would advocate for AI curriculum development in universities and training programs to equip the workforce with necessary AI skills.
Additionally, policy frameworks would be developed to address ethical concerns, ensuring AI is used responsibly and inclusively.
Through initiatives like the Transform Africa Summit, Smart Africa had been instrumental in fostering partnerships and digital policies that drive Africa’s technological growth.
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