The future of artificial intelligence was being discussed in Nigeria, a country considered the Silicon Valley of Africa.
Technology leaders, academics, policymakers and entrepreneurs from across Africa, along with experts from other continents, gathered in Lagos to identify the opportunities and challenges posed by the development and use of artificial intelligence on the continent.
For the Nigerian authorities, the exploitation of this technology requires two approaches.
In order for us to truly harness artificial intelligence for our collective benefit, we must adopt a deliberate and collaborative approach. We must ensure that the digital transformation journey is inclusive, equitable, and human-centered," said Bosun Tijani, Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
The pan-African AI conference benefited from the participation of the United States of America. During the meeting, Washington presented the challenges related to this new technology.
“There are two real challenges, I think, that are the most important when we think about the future of AI. The first is to create the kind of safe and secure governance framework that will enable, not hinder, innovation, that can build the trust of citizens everywhere to truly use AI integrated into their lives. The other challenge, I think, is to create an enabling business environment that can encourage the private sector to grow and invest in Nigeria to enable the development of AI, which I believe is in our mutual interest,” said Seth Center, Acting U.S. Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technologies.
Nigeria has announced the creation of an artificial intelligence fund for the most promising Nigerian startups in this field. It has an initial allocation of over $60,000.
