On Thursday, April 3rd, President Paul Kagame issued a rally to ensure that African leaders embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and take bold action to ensure that the continent is not left behind by the technological revolution.
Speaking at the ongoing African Global AI Summit in Kigali, President Kagame argued that strategic investment in Africa’s continental integration is urgently needed to ensure an AI-driven future.
“Africa can’t afford to be left behind and we can catch up once more. We have to recruit, cooperate and compete because it is our best interest. That’s why we’re here,” he said.
The two-day meeting brought together over 1,000 policymakers, business leaders and interest groups as the continent seeks to bring AI ambitions to the global stage.
Kagame praised the African Union, Smart Africa, and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to defend the establishment of the African AI Council.
“The possibilities for innovation and creativity on our continent are immeasurable, and that is already a comparative advantage. AI can increase. Now, our strategy is to go back to the drawing board and build a stronger foundation for connections,” he added.
Last year’s Google Report predicts that AI could add $30 billion to the sub-Saharan African economy by 2030.
Another estimate is that AI is expected to increase Africa’s annual GDP by 3% to $2.9 trillion by the same year.
But it’s a shame that the rise of this new technology is hidden by geopolitical competition, according to President Kagame.
He said that at the moment, technological development is concentrated in several countries.
The head of state warned that without reliable high-speed internet and stable power supply, Africa would struggle to integrate AI into the economy.
He also urged government and private sector players to invest in modern infrastructure to support the deployment of AI.
“The second is building our workforce to meet the demands of the labour market. Ultimately, Africa needs its own data scientists, engineers and cybersecurity experts. In fact, Africa has them.”
“In Rwanda, we have established several centres of excellence to help young people develop the skills to do these jobs. Our next generation will soon represent a large part of the growth of our global workforce.”
President Kagame also called for the lack of a unified regulatory framework to remain an important barrier to AI adoption in Africa.
Sign up for the AllAfrica newsletter for free
Get the latest African news
success!
Almost finished…
You need to check your email address.
Follow the instructions in the email you sent to complete the process.
error!
There was a problem processing the submission. Please try again later.
For the Infrastructure Energy Commissioner, the African Union Commissioner (AUC), AU and its member state, Lerato Mataboge, the African Foundation is making sure that African foundations become essential participants in the AI revolution.
“The AU calls for coordinated and active African participation to define rules that govern AI and support a more balanced global AI governance that takes into account the principles of fair distribution of AI-related resources and equal access to AI-based interests.”
The organizers of the summit argued that Crystal Lugaj, managing director of the 4th Industrial Revolution’s Rwanda Centre (C4IR), was in a unique position that shapes the trajectory of AI driven primarily by the continent’s biggest asset, “our young, vibrant population.”
“Let’s eradicate conversations around young people and empower them with a fostering policy environment that protects rights while promoting competitive AI skills, transformational investments, and promotion of growth and competitiveness.”
