Can ‘small’ AI have a huge impact in sub Saharan Africa?

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast

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Can ‘small’ AI have a huge impact in sub Saharan Africa?

Artificial intelligence is usually fed with large datasets allowing the technology to create what should be well balanced algorithms – but what happens when large data sets aren’t available or the impact of the AI could have a very significant impact on people’s lives? Researchers at Tufts University in the United States have started a program focusing on what they refer to as "small" AI - applications that have significantly positive impacts on individual lives and livelihoods. These applications are specifically designed, using models that have been trained on specialised datasets. Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business at the Fletcher School at Tufts and Abidemi Adisa, the author of the report, explain how farmers in Kenya can benefit significantly from AI.

Recycling e-waste in Kenya

A UN report recently said electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling. In 2022, the waste was up over eighty per cent from 2010 and on track to rise by a third by the year 2030. We looked at the problem in Brazil a while back, but Africa has a growing e-waste problem too – and the stuff isn’t recycled in the same way as in developed countries. But could a recycling plant in Nairobi be helping – studio expert Wairimu Gitahi has more.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Wairimu Gitahi.

More on this week's stories:

Improving the lives of smallholders in rural Kenya with AI

WEEE Centre, Nairobi

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Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Recording and audio editing : Lansons | Team Farner

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1. Can ‘small’ AI have a huge impact in sub Saharan Africa? (00:00:00)

2. [Ad] Out-of-the-box insights from digital leaders (00:12:29)

3. (Cont.) Can ‘small’ AI have a huge impact in sub Saharan Africa? (00:13:06)