Uganda hosted the Africa Artificial Intelligence Summit (AAIS), that took place May 8th–9th, at Speke Resort Munyonyo, in Kampala.
The summit brought together industry leaders, professionals, technologists, academia, state actors, and startups, to build a consensus on artificial intelligence and shape the future of Africa.
Themed “Navigating Artificial Intelligence for Business Growth and Resilience in Africa,” the two-day summit was organized by Django Tech Ltd and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) Uganda, in partnership with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
In his opening address, UCC Executive Director- Nyombi Thembo, emphasized the need for AI conversations to continue at all levels of society, noting that the impact of AI is not confined to a select few, but has the potential to touch lives across the continent.
“AI holds a vast potential in transforming key sectors in Africa, including education, healthcare, agriculture, and business. A recent Harvard study indicates that AI can boost workforce productivity by an astonishing 40%. This is not a minor improvement, it’s a groundbreaking opportunity for economic growth and societal advancement,” Thembo said.
Thembo added that community engagement is critical in disseminating the AI gospel; “When we involve local voices in the conversation, we ensure that our solutions are not only relevant, but are also designed to meet the unique needs of our diverse populations. Together, we can shape an AI-powered future that elevates the entirety of our continent,” he added.
He also encouraged stakeholders to confront the significant challenges that AI is likely to encounter, particularly within the African context.
Alvin Musinguzi, the Head of Innovations at I&M Bank, was one of the panelists that contributed to the topical discussion around the theme- ‘Frontiers for businesses to integrate and harness AI-powered innovations for business growth.’
He stressed the need to speed up the adoption of AI across sectors, such as agriculture, education, finance, and health.
“We need to demystify AI. Too often, it’s seen as something complicated, reserved for tech giants or elite institutions. But AI can be as simple and practical as automating bookkeeping for a small business, generating insights on crop yield predictions for a farmer, providing real-time analytics to help a clinic manage patient flow, and much more,” Musinguzi said.
Musinguzi cited his workplace- I&M Bank, as an example, for intentionally driving the growth of AI and financial technology in Uganda, by supporting boundary-pushing Fintechs, fostering a culture of internal innovation, and promoting the development of responsible AI solutions.
“I&M Bank has teams and units that are purely focused on innovation, and innovation that is focusing on technologies such as AI. However, this is something we can’t do alone; we need to collaborate with different players in this space,” Musinguzi stated, adding that more innovators should be supported.
The other panelists included Sam Mwogeza, a Banking Executive and Strategy Consultant, Josephine Olok- a Software Developer and Fintech Leader, and Brian Ajuna- a Government Revenue and Digital Services Expert.
Speaker after speaker, discussed how AI is reshaping business, from smarter decision-making to streamlined operations, emphasizing that the future belongs to firms that treat AI as a strategic partner.
Annette Nakiyaga, the I&M Bank Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, said the summit was a great opportunity to connect with other players in the tech and business space, and to further learn how AI can be used to solve real-world problems.
“At I&M Bank, we’re always looking for ways to grow with our customers and communities. Being part of this summit has helped us stay equipped and make sure our solutions are valuable and innovative,” Nakiyaga said.
The AAIS was a significant moment in the continent’s digital transformation journey, bringing together diverse voices and ideas to shape Africa’s AI future.
