Google takes on 'Africa's challenges' with first AI centre in Ghana

Moustapha Cisse, head of Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Ghana, wants to collaborate with local universities and start-ups (AFP Photo/CRISTINA ALDEHUELA) (AFP/File)

Accra (AFP) - An artificial intelligence research laboratory opened by Google in Ghana, the first of its kind in Africa, will take on challenges across the continent, researchers say.


"Africa has many challenges where the use of AI could be beneficial, sometimes even more than in other places," Google's head of AI Accra, Moustapha Cisse, told AFP at the centre's official opening this week.


The new lab, Cisse said, would use AI to develop solutions in healthcare, education and agriculture -- such as helping to diagnose certain types of crop disease.



"We just need to ensure that the right education and opportunities are in place," he said.

"That is why Google is sponsoring a lot of these young people for their degrees... to help develop a new generation of AI developers."

- 'Clear opportunity' -






"If you look at Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, where is a lot of that growth coming from? It's international," he told AFP in a recent interview.
