Experts in emerging technologies have called for upskilling and reskilling in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within academia in Africa.

 Experts in emerging technologies have called for upskilling and reskilling in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within academia in Africa. 

The call comes as the AI revolution is underway, with tremendous potential to transform digital economies, including those in the Global South.

Speaking at the Deep Tech Summit in the university town of Benguerir, Morocco, Khalid Badou, Chief of Staff and Director of Institutional Affairs at UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University), said that as AI becomes inevitable, it is important to adopt and adapt it to meet the needs of the education sector while establishing the necessary policies and regulations to ensure its ethical use.

The summit, themed “Redefining Progress: How AI is Transforming Innovation in Deep Tech,” aimed to explore and encourage collaborative AI experiences through brainstorming sessions and the testing of new ideas.

Badou said that with the many benefits of deep tech, spanning health, fintech, and agriculture, AI can become a key driver of socio-economic development in Africa.

“Africa should not wait for others to draft a code of conduct on AI covering various aspects before embracing it; it must create its own,” he emphasised.