FEATURE : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Creating effective Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) solutions demands numerous competencies , not just in the development of the algorithms that deliver results , but all the way down to the server infrastructure on which they run . Industry experts share insights with Intelligent CIO Africa on how to ensure success with AI solutions .
The need for organisations to make quick
decisions from huge volumes of data has made Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) one of the key focus areas for technology investment for 2021 and beyond . But AI ’ s rapid rise to prominence has left some organisations in Africa struggling to build the capabilities required to implement it successfully . and various use cases . Governments are also playing a key role by outlining AI strategies , establishing partnerships with global technology vendors and upskilling local talent ,” he said .
Asif Valley , National Technology Officer , Microsoft South Africa , said the events of 2020 have opened the world ’ s eyes to Digital Transformation as never before . Valley said despite many people being aware of the term , but not having experienced remote learning , in 2020 , working and socialising remotely , has seen people embrace more technology than ever . “ Much of this adoption is of technology that has been around for quite a while , but we ’ re increasingly seeing some advanced services and solutions being spoken about as countries and companies look to emerge from the crisis stronger ,” he said . “ One of these , probably the most prominent , is AI . Advancing AI across the region is as great a priority as it has ever been . Because AI has the potential to solve some of the most pressing challenges that impact the region and drive growth and development in core sectors such as agriculture , healthcare , public services and more , Microsoft has taken a view that there is great value in investing in AI .”
According to research firm International Data Corporation ( IDC ), the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) region in general is exploring AI , Machine Learning ( ML ) and cognitive technologies in multiple use cases across various industry verticals .
Manish Ranjan , Programme Manager , Software and Cloud , IDC Middle East , Turkey and Africa ( META ), said : “ Most of the AI-centric innovation is driven by start-ups which tend to partner with larger organisations to bring their services to the market ( e . g . a FinTech start-up focused on chatbots which are being used by some large banks across the continent ).”
Rajan said the use of AI and cognitive solutions will be primarily driven by organisations ’ need to achieve greater customer experience , improve security and bring process automation . “ The African continent has multiple initiatives aimed at ramping up AI specific skills
Valley explained that AI has the potential to create economic growth for every country in MEA and impacts business , government , healthcare , education , the environment and jobs . “ We believe that countries and companies need to embrace the opportunity that AI presents – and to actively participate in the technology revolution that is taking place ,” he said . “ Those that resist the adoption of AI technologies will miss out on new jobs , economic growth and the countless opportunities that AI unlocks . As with technology evolution , there are opportunities and challenges .”
Industry verticals
Valley said while the transformational power of AI is just beginning to be realised , the IT industry is already seeing the impact spanning business , government , education , healthcare and the environment .
How to succeed with
AI solutions
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