Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Marrakech – The AI Everything: Africa conference, part of GITEX Africa 2024, brought together industry leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the AI revolution in Africa. The conference, held on May 30, 2024, featured a panel discussion titled “AI, A Management Revolution for African Companies.”
Jamal Basrire, Partner and Leader for Cyber & Cloud at PwC, opened the discussion with a boldly optimistic statement: “AI will be a good opportunity across Africa.” He cited research showing that AI is expected to contribute $50.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with Africa’s share being $1 trillion. The panel aimed to explore these opportunities and challenges in the African market.
Arnaud Petit, Managing Director at Sage, compared the AI revolution to the digitization of the 1990s. He highlighted the potential of AI in automating and simplifying transactional tasks, as well as augmenting users’ capabilities to achieve greater goals. Petit also mentioned that according to a PwC statement, 69% of organizations are expected to adopt AI in the coming months.
Read also: GITEX Africa: CGEM President Emphasizes AI’s Vital Potential in African Transformation
Zakaria Fahim, Managing Partner at BDO Morocco, emphasized the importance of putting AI in the DNA of African organizations to make a difference in the digital transformation. He identified education and a strong ecosystem as key success factors for accelerating AI adoption in Africa.
Zouheir Lakhdissi, CEO of DIAL Technologies, pointed out that sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and farming can greatly benefit from AI, which is crucial for the youth in Africa. However, he also noted the challenge of AI understanding African dialects, not just English, French, and Spanish.
Petit further discussed the characteristics of customers already using AI, describing them as hyperconnected, productive, and smarter. He explained that AI helps eliminate repetitive tasks, allowing companies to focus on their core responsibilities and make data-driven investment decisions.
The AI Everything: Africa conference is a pivotal moment in Africa’s embrace of AI, bringing together strategic leaders, technology pioneers, innovators, and industry disruptors. With over 60% of Africans under the age of 25, the continent has an unparalleled potential tech workforce.
Yet the digital divide persists across the continent, with only 39.3% of Africans having internet access. The conference aims to explore how AI can offer solutions to critical issues such as healthcare accessibility, agricultural efficiency, and financial inclusion, while striking a balance between fostering AI innovation, inclusive adoption, and effective regulation.
GITEX Africa 2024, the larger event hosting the AI Everything: Africa conference, is attended by Deputy Ministers, Mayors, Vice Mayors, CTOs, CIOs, CSOs, Digital Agencies Directors, Procurement Directors, and more.
The event serves as a platform for business leaders to share their experiences in actively deploying AI in real-life scenarios, redefining business paradigms, and driving tangible returns on investment.
