Zindi’s Celina Lee Highlights AI Skills Need for Africa at Paris Summit
Celina Lee, the Co-Founder and CEO of Zindi, Africa’s largest network of data scientists, underscored the transformative potential of AI workforce development during a high-stakes panel session at the just-concluded AI Action Summit in Paris.
Speaking alongside stakeholders such as Google’s Senior VP for Research, James Manyika, and Sylvian Duranton, MD and Senior Partner at BCG, Lee emphasised how AI is reshaping the workforce and the need for strategic investments in upskilling AI developers in Africa. She also explained how the recently launched Zindi AWS IRCAI Global Challenge aims to equip the next generation of AI talent with the skills and resources necessary to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
“The AI revolution is opening up two different areas in terms of upskilling. Of course, we need to help the people working in call centres, in marketing, or in sales to use AI tools more effectively in their work. But secondly, it’s opening up a whole new set of careers that didn’t exist before —those building the AI solutions —and that’s also where we need to invest.”
The Zindi AWS IRCAI Global Challenge was launched to bridge the AI skill gap in Africa by fostering AI AI and innovation. In partnership with AWS, IRCAI, African governments, and AI communities, the initiative seeks to provide emerging AI practitioners with the opportunity to solve real-life, African challenges. They will also have access to mentorship and funding opportunities. The goal is to ensure that AI solutions are developed by those who understand their communities’ unique needs.
“In Africa, the software isn’t always well-adapted to the specific context. We want to make sure that the builders of those solutions, the products and software, understand the market. And the best way we can do that is by diversifying the people who are building those AI solutions,” Lee explained.
Amid the AI revolution, there’s an ever-growing demand for AI talent, especially in Africa. However, access to the necessary training, infrastructure, and opportunities remains limited. The Zindi AWS IRCAI Global Challenge is a game-changing initiative that aims to address these challenges head-on by empowering local AI talent to develop practical, innovative solutions for real-world problems.
By investing in the next generation of AI builders, this initiative is expected to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and create new opportunities that will have lasting impacts across industries and communities worldwide.
About Zindi:
Zindi is the largest data science and AI community in Africa, connecting data scientists with real-world problems and opportunities through AI challenges, upskilling programs, and industry collaborations. With a mission to democratize access to AI skills and opportunities, Zindi is driving innovation and transformation across various sectors on the continent.
Source: Impact news wire
