AI for Africa Through Google
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Canadian Science (Medium)
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/06/14
Quartz reported on the developments of artificial intelligence in Africa due to Google with the develop of more AI research through an infusion from Google with the Africa AI research center.
It will be based on Accra, which is the capital of Ghana. Ghana’s Accra is known for a vibrant technology industry. This may be a surprise to some compared to the other African cities of Lagos and Nairobi, in Nigeria and Kenya, respectively.
The report stated, “Google had been laying the pipeline, both figuratively and physically, for future developments in Accra for a few years now. Back in 2015, the Mountain View, California tech giant started work on a fiber optic network, called Project Link, across the city to improve internet speeds.”
It seemed like the workings of a larger plan in order to develop the computer industry in Africa through infrastructure provision and construction from Google.
“Ghana also has good a font of young talent from its public universities and newer centers like the computer science program at the highly-regarded private institution, Ashesi University,” the article continued.
The team lead for Google Brain, Jeff Dean, had difficulty in the selection of a location for the project.
Dean stated, “In the end, we chose Accra because of a strong ecosystem of local universities and its proximity to a branch of the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, and our experience in the country.”
The intention, or hope rather, is to develop these things further into the future. The developments of more AI research center locations through the continent of Africa.
“The company says it’s trying to bring together top machine learning researchers and engineers at the new center dedicated to AI research and its applications,” Quartz said, “Google is making a big bet on AI for its future. In 2016 alone it invested $30 billion on AI and machine learning research.”
If AI begins to take hold and gain traction, as is increasingly the case, in Africa, then the developments of its industries will increase quite a lot, arguably. The curve in Moore’s Law makes things much cheaper for the computer hardware for people to do things.
If cheaper, then the space, finances, and team or company staff sizes are not needing to be as big. That is, it means less volume taken by computers, fewer finances to buy the hardware, and fewer people in order to make strides in science and technology with the power of AI in a shorter period of time, too.
“In Nigeria, machine learning is being used by doctors for the early detection of birth asphyxia — the third highest cause of under-5 mortality in Africa. China, on its way to become the leader in artificial intelligence, is using Zimbabwe as the test ground to help its facial recognition systems identify faces with dark skin,” the article explained.
With the taking away of manufacturing jobs, the AI industry may provide for those with the talent and education in Africa, and in particular Accra at the moment, to be able to gain jobs, finances, and contribute to the wealth of continent.
The article concluded:
Research from PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated “artificial intelligence technologies could increase global GDP by $15.7 trillion, a full 14%, by 2030 of which $1.2 trillion would be added for Africa.”
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