The Advancement of AI has the potential to affect Africa both negatively and positively as it does with any region of the world. Over the past few months we have seen strides in different technologies, some talking about singularity being closer now than ever before.
On the positive side, AI can help address many of the challenges that Africa faces, such as access to healthcare, education and the ever growing financial services. AI powered diagnostic tools can help healthcare professionals in remote areas to provide accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations to diseases. From the research done by Urban Moon Media, we have seen that AI-powered tools in the education sector can provide personalized learning experiences that match the needs and learning styles of individual students and AI-powered financial services can help expand access to banking and credit for people who are currently excluded from the formal financial system.
There will always be negatives in AI advancements and the ethicality of it in Africa. One concern is that the adoption of AI could exacerbate existing inequalities, such as the digital divide between urban and rural areas, and between socioeconomic groups. AI could lead to job displacements in certain industries, particularly in low-skilled jobs. Additionally, there are concerns around data privacy and security, as well as the potential for AI to be used for biased discriminatory purposes. It is important for African governments, businesses and civil societies to engage with and shape the development of AI in ways that maximize its potential benefits while minimizing its potential negative impact.
Founder of Urban Moon Media, S’angelo Donga said, “it is important to develop AI expertise within Africa, promoting inclusive and ethical AI development practices, and ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared equitably across different segments of society. A brand new AI Model called GPT-4 has the potential to benefit Africa in a number of ways and we need to embrace it”.
We need to look at the advantages such systems have and how they will bring value to our day to day working environments. It will be easier to translate languages, which could be beneficial for African countries with multiple official languages like Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This has the potential to bridge communication gaps and promote cross cultural understanding. Overall, Chat GPT-4 has the potential to benefit Africa in many ways.
Post by S’angelo Donga