Africa Is Building an A.I. Industry That Doesn’t Look Like Silicon Valley

guest · Sep 30, 2019

Africa Is Building an A.I. Industry That Doesn’t Look Like Silicon Valley
AI in Africa
September 25, 2019
https://onezero.medium.com/africa-i...-doesnt-look-like-silicon-valley-72198eba706d

Over the last three years, academics and industry researchers from around the African continent have begun sketching the future of their own A.I. industry at a conference called Deep Learning Indaba.

Founded in 2017, Indaba is a direct response to Western academic conferences, which are often difficult for researchers from distant parts of the world to access.

“How many accepted papers have at least one of its authors from a research institution in Africa? The answer: zero,” Indaba organizers wrote in a blog post. “Two entire continents are missing from the contemporary machine learning landscape.”
Indaba organizers are well aware of the tension inherent in running an Africa-focused conference funded by American companies.

“This risks leaving the impression that the best work is happening in the large tech companies, and in countries outside the continent, and that one must leave the continent to have an impactful career in the field.”
That’s why organizers try to balance international sponsors with local ones, and highlight opportunities at African universities and tech companies.
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Talent always moves to the area of highest concentration,” he says. “If we do not build another community here, talent will continue to disperse.”
Adekanmbi says that corporations that want to reap the benefits of doing work with Africa should have a physical presence on the continent, and show commitment by investing in local tech communities.
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