From Promise to Progress: Making AI Work for Africa
AI in Africa
Artificial Intelligence is poised to play a transformative role in Africa, given recent trends in developing and adopting solutions on the continent. We are witnessing AI applications tackling real-world problems like precision agriculture, disease diagnosis, and financial inclusion. For example, AI-powered tools are helping farmers optimize crop yields and predict weather patterns, while mobile banking apps with AI algorithms expand access to financial services in remote areas. These advancements highlight the immense potential of AI to leapfrog traditional development hurdles and empower African nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. However, significant challenges remain. Limited access to data infrastructure, the digital divide, and the need for ethical frameworks to guide development are some hurdles that must be addressed.
Savannah Digital Research Institute (SDRI)
SDRI is a nonprofit research institution dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence to benefit Sub-Saharan Africa. We seek to establish research and development programs to identify and address challenges hindering the full realization of AI’s potential for socio-economic growth in Africa. SDRI is a registered nonprofit organization in California with the Secretary of State (file number 6263010).
The Call
– Objectives: The proposed publication seeks to (i) document the state of the art in AI solutions development and utilization in Africa and (ii) identify potential areas for research and development in AI in Africa.
– Thematic Areas:
Healthcare
Agriculture
Education
Financial Inclusion
Environmental Conservation
Governance & Public Services
Submission Procedure
1. Curriculum Vitae: Brief CV/s of the interested author/s with academic qualifications, evidence of having undertaken assignments of a similar nature, and selected publications related to the focus areas of this call.
2. Chapter Proposal: A brief proposal of 1,000 to 2,000 words briefly articulating the following about the proposed chapter:
● Background – The proposed geographical coverage. Brief statistics on the level of technology adoption, socioeconomic status, technology-related policy, and regulation, and the state of research and innovation in the focus region (or the entire continent if this is the proposed coverage). This information should be sourced from authoritative sources and cited.
● State of the Art – Brief examples and indications of the levels of success/impact and challenges of AI among other perspectives of AI in the thematic area of the continent or region.
● Potential – Brief thoughts on areas where research and/or development projects can be undertaken to harness the potential of AI for socioeconomic progress in the continent or region. Describe current and/or envisaged infrastructure and supporting environment that will be instrumental in actualizing the vision. Outline potential challenges that may arise and propose ways to address them.
● Methodology – Authors are expected to use one or more of the following methodologies: literature review, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, or surveys.
Submission Platform: https://publications.sdri.tech/index.php/sdri
Proposal Acceptance
- Authors will be notified by 16th August, 2024 about the status of their proposals.
- Accepted authors will receive USD 500 upon acceptance of the final chapter.
- Accepted authors will be invited to sign a contract for the execution of the task.
Full Chapter Submission:
Chapter Length: Final book chapters are expected to be between 10,000 – 15,000 words
Full Chapter Outline:
Background (10% of the chapter) – Provide a background of the continent/regions in focus concerning, among other aspects, the level of technology adoption, socioeconomic status, technology-related policy and regulation, and the state of research and innovation. This information should be sourced from authoritative sources and cited.
State of the Art (30% of the chapter) – Provide examples and indications of the levels of success/impact of the AI among other perspectives of AI in the thematic area in the region of focus. Include a summary of gaps identified from the literature or other sources.
Potential areas for research and development (60% of the chapter) – This is the book’s main focus. In this section, identify and outline areas where research and/or development projects can be undertaken to harness the potential of AI for socioeconomic progress in the continent or region. Describe current and/or envisaged infrastructure and supporting environment that will be instrumental in actualizing the vision. Outline potential challenges that may arise and propose ways to address them.
Methodology – Authors are expected to use one or more of the following methodologies: literature review, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, or surveys.
Citations and References – These should be provided in APA version 7.
Review
- All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-anonymized review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.
- All submitted chapters will be checked for plagiarism and inappropriate use of Generative AI tools.
Final Chapter Submission
Contributors are expected to address reviewer comments and submit the final chapters by 30th November 2024.
Publication
The book will be published by 31st December 2024.
Information Session
There will be an information session on 9th July 2024 at 5:00 pm EAT
Meeting Link – https://meet.google.com/frq-fszj-muo
We look forward to receiving your submissions.
For more information, please contact us at research@sdri.tech.
Join us in shaping the future of AI in Sub-Saharan Africa
Savannah Digital Research Institute is registered as a nonprofit organization in California with the California Secretary of State. Our file number is 6263010.
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