The idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology was first coined in 1956 by John McCarthy, a young Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Dartmouth College. Professor John decided to invite a group of people to clarify and develop a thinking on machines and the outcome of the discussion was reached with picking the name artificial intelligence because of its neutrality to be used.
This idea was mooted during the 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence and the narrative on artificial intelligence and scope of advancement has tremendously changed since the invention of first generational computation in 1946 due to the emergency of computers with strong computing power.
John McCarthy together with his partners requested for funding from Rockefeller Foundation to fund a 2 months-10 man research study on artificial intelligence during the summer school in Hanover, New Hampshire on the basis that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it which gave birth to artificial intelligence as a field.
Artificial intelligence is defined as the ability of digital computer controlled robots to perform tasks that are commonly performed by humans. Predominantly, artificial intelligence has been embraced by large technology companies in the Western parts of the world on a capitalistic model of economic growth where economic transformation has taken shape.
In Africa, whereas arguments have been advanced on the basis that the adoption of this technology is a foundation for the fourth industrial revolution, there is no doubt that this AI revolution supports transformation of socio-political and economic environment. Writing for the Research ICT Africa Network, Mudongo (2020), a research fellow with the organization argued that the artificial intelligence application in automation will bring a wave of innovation in various sectors of the country’s economy if the policies designed by the government match the real conditions of the developed countries such as effective competitive markets, democratic processes, effective institutions, well-functioning education and health systems which are predominantly common in developed country’s models of transformation.
Globally, sectors where artificial intelligence system has been adopted as a model of transformation include; -the banking and financial sector, health, heavy industries, air transport and gaming and the future seems to great since there is a dream by scientists to reinvent the world by simply exploring artificial intelligence.
The robots that are used to perform these tasks actually possess the human biological and physical characteristics of reasoning, discovering meanings, generalizing or learning from past experiences just like humans do.
Thus, the development of artificial intelligence technology begun with the intention to develop machines that actually think and have the conscience to reason like the way humans do making many industries to turn to artificial intelligence to boost their risk carriage.
In Uganda, artificial intelligence application as a model of transformation is by far a myth in fostering economic transformation because artificial intelligence systems rely heavily on the quality of internet connectivity to perform the predefined task. In the United States of America as of 2017, there was 87.3 percent internet penetration while in Europe, statistics indicate that there will 95 percent internet penetration which offers greater opportunities for increased adoption of artificial intelligence technologies compared to developing countries.
In Uganda, according to Uganda Communication Commission Postal, Broadcasting and Telecommunications Annual Market & Industrial report (2017), there is an internet penetration of 45.4 percent which further limits adoption of artificial intelligence in key sectors both in the urban and rural areas.
The notable sectors that have adopted the artificial intelligence in their operations include, education, banking and finance and health sectors. For example, Makerere University collaborated with A I & Data Science Research Group to carry out research in areas such as the automated diagnosis of both crops and human diseases, auction design for mobile commodity markets, analysis of traffic partners in city of Africa and remote sensor to predict the spread of disease. Furthermore, Business and Human Rights Resource Center revealed that Doctors at Mbarara Hospital in Western Uganda have adopted the use of artificial intelligence to reduce the maternal mortality.
In conclusion therefore, in order to ensure artificial intelligence enhances economic transformation in terms of greater work being done faster with accurate results in Uganda and other low developing countries, governments among many other options need to focus on improving policies that instigate the competitive market forces of demand and supply since the capitalist economic system has proven to be a key model in driving advancement and adoption of artificial intelligence for the last 60 years since the invention of the field.
By Isaac Amuku
@isaacamuku
Indeed AI is a force to reckon with in this digital age and countries that have embraced it have gained a competitive advantage. A good example is China’s 5G technology which is an enabler of artificial intelligence.
Governments ought to invest in research and digital infrastructure to create an enabling environment and benefit from the opportunities AI offers.
Thank you Patricia for your great comments and recommendations to governments.