The President and Group
CEO of Cassava Technologies, Hardy Pemhiwa has stressed the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence
(AI) in Africa, noting that AI is the most powerful tool to connect young
Africans to the global economy.
Speaking during a panel
session at ‘The Africa Debate 2024’ organized by Invest Africa Ltd, Mr. Pemhiwa
hinted that to realize this vision,
Cassava Technologies is partnering with leading AI providers like Anthropic,
Atlas AI, Google, and Microsoft.
According to him the goal
is to equip African entrepreneurs and the next generation with the skills to
harness AI's positive impact on the continent. This approach, he believes
focuses on upskilling with a purpose, enabling Africans to develop expertise in
AI without leaving the continent.
He state that by
combining AI with African intelligence and supported by a robust regulatory
framework, the potential for solution generation in Africa is vast. As an
AI-first technology company, the vision is to create a digitally connected
future that inclusively benefits all Africans, leaving no one behind.
Contributing to the
discussion, the Managing Director for Africa at Google, Alex Okosi confirmed
that AI is already making a positive impact in Africa, optimizing healthcare
delivery and empowering farmers.
He mentioned that Google's
AI Research Centres in Kenya and Ghana are contributing to the continent's
growing capabilities.
He said by 2030, over a
third of the world's youth population will be from Africa, making it essential
to harness AI's potential to create opportunities and drive progress.
The event brought
together industry leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa. Okosi joined Karim Beguir of InstaDeep,
Adaora Ikenze of Meta Holdings Inc., Hardy Pemhiwa of Cassava Technologies, and
Yinka Adegoke of Semafor for a thought-provoking discussion on maximizing AI's
potential while mitigating its risks.
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
