Why Africa Should Embrace Artificial Intelligence

Machines might scare policymakers from Brussels to Washington, but artificial intelligence could yield a significant developmental dividend in the developing world. In African markets, the technology behind Alexa and Siri can be harnessed to diagnose illness or address traffic gridlock. One of the most transformative applications of artificial intelligence (AI) is in financial technology, where global investment has risen 38% over the last year. Machine learning, whereby algorithms make predictions and improve based on large amounts of data, is often relegated to the realm technologists and the elite; but for the two billion unbanked adults worldwide, this technology could light a path out of poverty by helping traditional lenders approve loans using hundreds of non-traditional data points. AI has the capacity to add value at the individual, small business, and the large corporate level alike across Africa.