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Rwanda is gearing up to become a hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and solutions in Africa, with the London-based company, InstaDeep, set to open an office in Kigali. CEO Karim Beguir announced this development during an annual meeting of the African machine learning and artificial intelligence community on September 8, with the mission to strengthen African AI.
Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, involves technologies that enable machines to mimic human abilities such as sensing, understanding, and decision-making. It focuses on automating tasks efficiently and demonstrating intellectual capabilities comparable to or surpassing human capacities across various domains.
Rwanda is recognized as one of the first African countries to introduce a national AI policy, with a focus on six key areas: AI literacy, infrastructure, data strategy, AI adoption in the public and private sectors, and ethical implementation.
Beguir emphasized that expanding their team in Kigali aligns with Rwanda’s emergence as a leader in shaping the future economy. Arnu Pretorius, the head of AI research in Africa for InstaDeep, was appointed to lead the Kigali office, highlighting the opportunity to bolster AI in Africa and develop sustainable solutions for the continent and beyond.
“Rwanda is at the forefront of policy, recently hosting a top AI global conference, ICLR, for the first time in Africa. Having an office in Kigali allows us to provide more opportunities for African AI talent from across the continent,” noted Pretorius.
InstaDeep currently has a presence in several global cities, including Tunis, London, Lagos, Dubai, Berlin, Cape Town, Paris, Boston, and San Francisco. Rwanda’s ecosystem, backed by initiatives like the Centre of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), is actively promoting AI development, with other companies like Babyl in healthcare and Zipline also embracing AI solutions.
Rwanda’s national AI policy reflects its commitment to becoming a leading destination in Africa for developing and experimenting with trustworthy AI technologies tailored for the African context. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, emphasized that Rwanda aims to leverage AI’s potential for economic growth, improved public service delivery, and inclusive, sustainable development.
While the government envisions a potential AI ecosystem worth $589 million over the next five years, implementing the policy will require an investment of $76.5 million during the same period.
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