As much as Africans respect and uphold their continent, there is no denying the massive challenges that Africa has faced in the past, nor can its inhabitants overlook the weight it continues to struggle under. From lacking healthcare access and wide disparities between the rich and the poor to dwindling agriculture and deficient educational systems, it seems as though one of the world’s most resourceful continents is consistently plagued by difficulty. Luckily, Artificial Intelligence has provided more innovative and efficient ways to beat long-standing suffering and offers African nations new tools to address persistent challenges. Here are five remarkable ways AI is helping solve real-world problems in Africa.
1. Improving Healthcare Accessibility and Diagnostics
Access to healthcare remains a significant issue in many parts of Africa, especially in rural areas with limited infrastructure and under-educated medical professionals. AI-powered diagnostic tools are helping fill this gap by providing accessible and affordable health assessments.
Take for example Zipline, a company that has effectively integrated drone use for medical interventions. Zipline uses automated drones to deliver medical supplies, blood, and vaccines to remote clinics in Rwanda and Ghana, allowing doctors in hard-to-reach locations to get essential resources quickly. Their AI-powered system manages logistics, ensuring swift and precise deliveries in emergencies.
There is also the Nigerian company 54gene, which uses AI-driven genomic data to identify and understand diseases prevalent among Africans, an incredible solution for getting a proper diagnoses for illnesses that are hard to detect and name.
By developing insights from African genetic data, 54gene is paving the way for more effective treatments and helping reduce the health disparities Africans face with diseases like cancer and sickle cell anemia.
2. Revolutionizing Agriculture and Enhancing Food Security
Agriculture is a crucial means by which several Africans make a living, yet many farmers face detrimental situations such as unpredictable weather patterns and pest invasions. AI-powered solutions are helping farmers increase productivity, optimize resources, and reduce crop losses.
An example of African agriculture being positively influenced by the advent of AI is Zindi’s Farm Pin Project in Tanzania. This is an African AI platform which developed an AI model that uses satellite data to help Tanzanian farmers pinpoint the exact locations and sizes of their farms. This has helped farmers access better resources and gain more precise agricultural insights, which is crucial for improving crop yields.
Additionally, there is PlantVillage in Kenya that launched an AI-powered app that uses machine learning to identify and control crop diseases, such as fall armyworm infestations. By uploading photos of their plants, farmers can detect disease in real time, receive guidance on treatment, and protect their crops from devastating losses.
3. Empowering Education and Skill Development
AI is also making strides in improving education across Africa, especially by helping overcome the shortage of teachers and educational resources. By making learning more accessible, AI contributes to a more equal education system.
Kenya has been at the forefront of mobilizing proper education in Africa with creations like Eneza and M-Shule. Eneza offers an AI-driven mobile platform that provides interactive lessons and quizzes through SMS, enabling students in remote or low-internet areas to continue learning. By offering content aligned with the national curriculum, Eneza empowers students to study from anywhere, even in areas with limited internet access.
M-Shule, which also emerged from the brilliance of Kenya, is a mobile-based AI platform that provides personalized educational content for primary school students. The platform adapts to students’ individual learning needs, delivering lessons via SMS to children without regular internet access. M-Shule’s AI assesses a student’s progress and tailors future lessons to help bridge learning gaps, which is especially beneficial in rural areas.
4. Enhancing Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth
Traditional banking is effective is many parts of Africa, but in many more the concept does not work as optimally as several like. However, with AI Fintech solutions, banking across the continent has become more inclusive and effective, allowing for services like mobile banking reach the majority poor while still benefiting the minority rich.
An example of this is Jumo in South Africa. Jumo uses AI to assess the financial reliability of unbanked individuals based on their mobile usage patterns, enabling them to access microloans. By analyzing data from telecom companies, Jumo’s platform has provided millions of people in Africa with credit and savings options, supporting economic independence for under-served communities.
Then, there is the Kenyan and Tanzanian mobile payment platform M-Pesa. This pioneering mobile payment platform by Safaricom, now incorporates AI to improve fraud detection and streamline transactions. By analyzing user behavior and transaction patterns, M-Pesa’s AI algorithms help keep transactions secure, providing a trusted financial solution for millions of Africans.
In conclusion, AI in Africa is more than a technological trend; it’s a powerful tool transforming industries, addressing inequalities, and creating opportunities for sustainable growth. With initiatives like Zipline’s medical drones, Jumo’s financial services, and several other computing alternatives, AI is not just a tool but a lifeline for communities across the continent.
As investments in AI continue to rise, Africa stands to gain immensely by leveraging this technology to tackle its unique challenges, fostering a future where innovation is at the heart of progress.
