The second Global Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (GDSAI) Summit was held in Nairobi last week, and Strathmore University was the host institution.
Others, such as the Director of @iLabAfrica, Joseph Sevilla, as well as the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), Mene Wamkele, and the Chief Data Officer of Absa Kenya, Hartnell Ndungi, were present at the occasion.
The summit, which took place for two days, featured talks on crucial themes, such as data security and governance in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), which shed light on the ethical considerations surrounding the use of data and AI across various industries in Kenya.
“I am happy that we are hosting the 2nd GDSAI Summit that focuses on emerging technology in the areas of data science and artificial intelligence (AI),” according to Sevilla.
“We are looking to find ways in which technology can be used for good in Kenya, and we are glad that we are now seeing new global companies such as Google, Amazon, and Apple exploring innovative opportunities in our country,” said the president.
“This collaborative effort between local initiatives and global tech giants has the potential to bring about positive change and drive technological advancements that benefit Kenya and the world at large.”
The summit provided chances for networking with various sponsors, presenters, and partners, which resulted in the attendance of over 150 professionals, CEOs, and other senior management, as well as a representation of over 20 nations worldwide.
The participants discussed a variety of subjects, including analytics in financial institutions, digital transformation, and diversity.
The use of data for better health services and analysis, artificial intelligence in health care, and other related topics also made the list.
“The 2nd GDSAI Summit has brought together over 150 key industry stakeholders from diverse sectors,” said John Olukuru, Head of Data Science and Analytics at @iLabAfrica. “This is to demonstrate the transformative power of data science and AI in revolutionizing lives,” he said.
Over fifty science experts, academic practitioners, students, and community members participated in the inaugural edition of the GDSAI, which took place the year before. This year’s conference focused on “Cultivating Data Science Research in Africa.”
It is expected to play a significant part in resolving many of the problems plaguing the continent.
In Kenya, artificial intelligence (AI) has been implemented in various fields, including agriculture, healthcare, education, fintech, and transportation.
In 2018, the government of Kenya gave the Blockchain and AI Taskforce the responsibility of providing guidelines on how AI could be utilized most effectively.
Its primary objective was to foster a culture of data use and constructing functioning data ecosystems. This was to be accomplished by making official data publicly available and promoting the adoption and utilization of data by decision-makers at national and subnational levels.
