African Artificial Intelligence Council to be Established
The idea of setting up an Artificial Intelligence Council for Africa was discussed during a meeting held on Tuesday in Rabat, as part of the African Cybersecurity Forum. Initiated by the "Smart Africa" Alliance, this approach aims to support major transformations and projects in the African digital sector, particularly regarding artificial intelligence.
Background
The Smart Africa Alliance represents a commitment by African heads of state and governments to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent, accompanied by the transition to a knowledge economy through affordable access to high-speed internet and the use of information and communication technologies.
Rabat Agreement
It was during the first high-level forum on AI, held last June, that the Rabat Agreement on AI in Africa was reached. Didier Nkurikiyimfura, Senior Director of Strategy and Growth at Smart Africa, emphasized the importance of digital technology as a driver of development for Africa. In the same context, Nkurikiyimfura stated that this meeting brought together decision-makers and AI specialists to develop a cooperation framework aimed at fully exploiting the potential of this technology in Africa.
African AI Council
Regarding the African AI Council, Nkurikiyimfura specified that it will be inaugurated during a global AI summit in Kigali in the coming weeks. He highlighted that this recommendation will constitute a crucial step in harmonizing African initiatives related to AI, noting that training remains a primary necessity to enable Africa to design systems and services that correspond to its contexts.
