15:00 - 16:00
Powering AI in Africa: Energy, Internet, and Innovation Under Constraints
OTHER SESSIONS
SHORT DESCRIPTION
This session explores how Africa can develop artificial intelligence solutions despite infrastructure challenges such as limited access to electricity, internet, and computing power. Local, resilient, and effective approaches will be shared.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
AI development often relies on abundant resources: powerful servers, constant connectivity, stable energy. In Africa, these resources are sometimes scarce or expensive. Yet, African researchers, developers, and entrepreneurs are innovating despite this, adapting models, pooling resources, and reinventing the use of technology.
This session will highlight:
- Innovation under constraint: How to transform limits into levers of technological inventiveness.
- “Light” approaches to AI: Use of optimized models, edge computing, decentralized or offline AI.
- Access to energy: Alternative solutions such as solar microgrids or energy optimization of equipment.
- Limited Connectivity: How to develop functional AI tools in low-bandwidth or cloud-free settings.
- Shared resources: Fab labs, community data centers, open source platforms and regional collaborations.
Project leaders, engineers, heads of tech NGOs, and local institutions will come to share their experiences to demonstrate that African constraints can become opportunities for sustainable innovation.
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING:
- Understand how to develop AI solutions in resource-intensive environments
- Discover tools, frameworks, and best practices for working offline or with low energy.
- Drawing inspiration from local and ingenious initiatives across the continent.
- Identify partners and resources to develop or adapt your own AI projects.
- Leave with concrete avenues for innovation despite infrastructure constraints.