When we started AI Expo Africa here in South Africa back in 2018, it would be fair to say the atmosphere was one of excitement with a fair degree of hype mixed with solid doses of reality. There was still talk of "AI Winters" and that adoption would be slow. Well, 5 years on, the landscape has radically changed. Tools and techniques that were once the exclusive domain of "the developer" are now freely accessible via zero cost platforms / apps / APIs allowing business users to leverage all kinds of AI related tech, be that AI generated presentations or logos, to art, videos, music and animations to name but a few. Even in the time we have been running the show, the creativity and use cases have exploded and it would be fair to say, we are now well into the AI Spring!

Its widely accepted that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies will add trillions to global GDP in the next 20 years, making it the one of the world's most powerful technology trends on par with the disruption and opportunities being created by cloud computing and blockchain. So is Africa getting a slice of the lucrative artificial intelligence pie and what are the current AI adoption trends in the region? Although Africa's AI industry is still relatively small compared to the US, Europe and Asia, this has not stopped some of the continent's most innovative start-ups from developing solutions that demonstrate how promising the technology can be for the African economy. However, AI innovation in Africa is often ignored or overlooked because the number of patents applied for and the amount of research funding available is not well aligned with local contexts, data is missing, and the map still looks essentially bleak. That said, the prospects for AI in Africa are positive, as the potential for innovation and growth in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is increasing.

Communications and digital technologies minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams is set to deliver the opening keynote at AI Expo Africa 2020. The expo, which will this year be held as an online event, will take place on 3 and 4 September. The event is produced by Western Cape-based AI Media Group, a digital media agency that analyses real-time data and consumer trends for cross-sector organisations. The programme will cover real-world AI innovation, case studies, platforms, panel discussions, workshops and technical demos. Last year, 17 AI start-ups showcased their solutions at the AI Expo Africa, held in Cape Townand attended by over 700 delegates representing more than 270 companies.

Curators of Africa's largest business focused Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Data Science community discussing the real world applications & trends driving the AI Economy in Africa. Our audience comprises; CxO decision makers, platform providers, Tier 1 or 2 deployment & service providers, entrepreneurs / investors, educators, government and AI ecosystem builders across Africa.