The future Lelapa AI envisions “is one in which AI helps people to solve contemporary challenges”, said chief executive Pelonomi Moiloa.

14 June 2023

Published By Everything ZA Travel

Africa is improving the way it solves problems through self-designed and self-managed artificial intelligence (AI).

In South Africa, the government has launched the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa (AIISA), which will focus on three sectors of the economy: the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and food processing.

Other entities are also stepping forward to develop AI, such as Lelapa AI, which two weeks ago launched as an Africa-centric research and product laboratory.

The future Lelapa AI envisions “is one in which AI helps people to solve contemporary challenges”, said chief executive Pelonomi Moiloa.

Lelapa AI focuses on natural language processing, which allows the user to engage with services in their home language.

“Language is an important component of gaining trust and understanding,” Moiloa said.

The hub’s origins are rooted in the Deep Learning Indaba, held annually since 2017, on machine learning and AI in Africa.

AI creates solutions “that are safer, solutions that require limited resources due to cost or because the resources do not exist, like data” and solutions that otherwise would not be possible due to limited human resources, Moiloa said, referencing the national health department’s initiative MomConnect, which supports women’s maternal health through cell phone technology.

AI is assisting small-scale farmers with crop monitoring in Uganda, microfinancing for African businesses and data analytics to advance business performance.

In 2014, Kenya’s largest power supplier, Kenya Power, announced the implementation of an automated system that analyses real-time data with historic data for the utility to expand its operations.

These are just a few examples of how AI is being used to improve people’s lives in Africa. As AI continues to develop, it is likely that we will see even more innovative and groundbreaking applications of this technology in the future.

Here are some of the benefits of using AI in Africa:

• Improved efficiency: AI can help to improve efficiency in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture. For example, AI can be used to automate tasks such as customer service, data entry, and inventory management. This can free up human workers to focus on more creative and strategic tasks.
• Increased productivity: AI can help to increase productivity by automating tasks and improving efficiency. This can lead to lower costs and higher profits for businesses.
• Improved decision-making: AI can help businesses to make better decisions by providing them with insights into data that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to analyze. This can help businesses to improve their products and services, target their marketing campaigns more effectively, and identify new opportunities for growth.
• Improved customer service: AI can help businesses to provide better customer service by automating tasks such as answering questions, resolving issues, and providing recommendations. This can lead to happier customers and increased loyalty.

Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses operate in Africa. By improving efficiency, productivity, decision-making, and customer service, AI can help businesses to grow and succeed in the 21st century.