AI becomes latest frontier in China-US race for Africa
What's the future of Artificial
Intelligence in Africa?
When that question is entered
into the AI platform ChatGPT, it answers that it "holds immense potential
for transformative impact across various sectors," notably health care,
agriculture and education.
Human experts tend to agree,
and AI is fast becoming the latest frontier in U.S.-China competition on the
continent.
"To advance in AI research
and innovation, African countries will need significant investments in
computing infrastructure," said Chinasa T. Okolo, a Center for Technology
Innovation fellow at The Brookings Institution. "The U.S. and China could
potentially be good partners to help with such initiatives."
In the coming years,
researchers predict AI companies will run out of data in English and Western
languages but that is not the case in Africa where much more data is still
needed, Okolo said.
"Thus, by investing in
Africa, companies from AI superpowers like the U.S. and China stand to gain
valuable data that they could use to build services and systems to be sold back
to African countries," she said.
One country on the continent
that is rapidly pursuing AI is South Africa.
At a government summit on AI in
April, Mondli Gungubele, the minister of communications and digital
technologies, said, "The era of generative AI is just beginning, and as a
country and a continent we cannot and must not allow ourselves to be left
behind."
South Africa has already
established the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa, or AIISA,
and it is rolling out "hubs" at universities across the country. It
was created to ensure that the country's industries and sectors benefit from
AI, said Hitekani Magwedze, spokesman for the ministry of communications and
digital technologies.
"Through the AIISA, we
have now created AI hubs in manufacturing and services, farming and
agriculture, automotive and transportation, and military and defense,"
with more sectors planned, Magwedze told VOA.
"South Africa has global
partnerships with major countries such as U.S. and China in the G20 and
BRICS," he said. "These leading countries see South Africa as a
gateway into Africa and the developing countries agenda."
Magewedze said AI can help with
unemployment, inequality and poverty in the country.
In May, Tshwane
University of Technology will launch a new AI Career Tech Center in
collaboration with U.S. tech giant, Intel.
"The AI hubs across the
country are partnering with strong partners from the international community to
achieve the objectives of the AI institutes," said Anish Kurien, Acting
Director of the university's AIISA hub.
Earlier this month, South
Africa's Department of Defense launched a Defense Artificial Intelligence Research
Unit at the country's military academy.
"There is a need for
African solutions to African challenges, and AI is an enabling technology of
the [Fourth Industrial Revolution] which will play a role in solving many of
the social issues facing our beloved continent," Wayne Dalton, the deputy
director of the new research unit, told VOA.
When asked about U.S.-China
involvement, Dalton said, "South Africa's AI strategy and goals are in
their infancy" but "there will be plenty of opportunities for the
U.S. and China to help us achieve these goals."
The increased focus on AI in
South Africa comes at a time when public opinion has increased for China and
slightly decreased for the U.S., according to a new Gallup report released in
April.
Trends in public opinion may
not necessarily apply to collaboration on the AI front, and African nations
will partner with parties that can offer the most value, said Okolo.
"While the U.S. government
has provided substantial aid to African countries, China took a different approach
by leading with infrastructure investments, which will increasingly become
important as African countries aim to bolster their telecommunications and data
infrastructure," she said.
The U.S. has already invested
in AI in Africa. Silicon Valley giant Google opened its first AI lab in Ghana,
while IBM has research facilities in Kenya and South Africa.
At an American Chamber of
Commerce Business Summit in Nairobi last month, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina
Raimondo announced a partnership to enable U.S. companies to invest in AI and
data centers in Kenya.
Lisa Walker, managing director
for Africa operations at Prosper Africa, a U.S. government trade initiative,
told VOA the organization is advancing partnerships under U.S. President Joe Biden's
Digital Transformation with Africa strategy.
"Prosper Africa launched
the Africa Tech for Trade Alliance in April of last year. Today, there are 24
private sector partners under this Alliance including industry leaders like
Google, AWS, Intel, Cisco Systems, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, UPS, DHL, FedEx
and others," she said.
China also has taken an
interest in AI in Africa. For over a decade, China has been investing in the
continent's internet infrastructure and connectivity through President Xi Jinping's
Belt and Road Initiative.
In April, a China-Africa
Internet Development and Cooperation Forum was held in the China's southeastern
coastal city of Xiamen and attended by representatives from some 20 African
countries.
"Africa is an important
participant in scientific and technological progress. The development and
application of AI is of great significance to the developing countries,
including China and African countries," Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese
Embassy in Washington, told VOA.
As for U.S.-China competition
in AI, Liu said, "China is willing to carry out communication, exchanges
and practical cooperation with all parties, including Africa and the United
States, on AI global governance to ensure that AI always develops in the
direction of human civilization and progress."
During their meeting in San
Francisco last year and a recent phone call, Liu said, Chinese and U.S. leaders
agreed to promote cooperation in the field of AI. Liu added that the two sides
will soon hold the first intergovernmental dialogue on AI.
Prosper Africa's Walker had a
different take when asked about U.S.-China competition, saying U.S. companies
had "incomparable brand value."
"It's the focus on mutual
growth, local job creation and shared prosperity that continues to set American
tech companies apart from international competitors," she said.
However, Brookings Institution
fellow Okolo is more pessimistic about U.S.-China involvement in Africa.
"While I've seen rising
interest in Africa from the U.S. and China, I believe it's honestly hard to say
how well these countries are interested in specifically working with African
countries to advance AI innovation," said Okolo. "While American and
Chinese researchers often collaborate with each other in academic AI research,
these countries themselves are vying to be leaders within the 'AI race.'"
According to the recently
released AI Index Report from Stanford
University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, the U.S. was
the leading source of top computer programs known as AI models last year, with
61 compared to China's 15. However, it found that China led globally in terms
of AI patents with 61.1%, while the U.S. accounted for only 20%.
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