Should We Be Celebrating Big Tech in Africa?

The African tech industry still struggles to define itself: what is African tech? How do you define African tech? What qualifies as an African tech company?

Written by Emeka Joseph Nwankwo

Sep 7, 2019

ASHDEN

Artificial intelligence, despite the name, isn’t intelligent on its own. It is the product of our individual intelligence and collective consciousness manifested through digital outputs and collected on the Internet as data. Technologies, like AI, learn and become better based on the data we make available to it: Apple’s Siri, for instance, became better based on increased usage; self-driving vehicles, touted as the future of transportation, are increasingly becoming better, learning and accumulating knowledge with each drive. This, in other words, suggests that the more we use digital technologies, the more data we release, and the better technology becomes.

As emerging technology, AI has a significant place in humanity’s future as it is poised to become an integral part of our daily life in the nearest future, regardless of location and social status, playing a critical role in the digital economy. Without a doubt, AI will have a significant impact on Africa and Africans, empowering millions and transforming our society and systems. Such is the power of innovation. And history has shown innovation to be a key driver of wealth creation and accumulation, and human progress.

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About the Author

Emeka Joseph Nwankwo

is a writer and digital media professional from Nigeria. He has served as the communications manager (Africa) for Cassava Republic Press and is currently working on a master’s degree in Digital Media at the University of Hull. His writing has appeared on platforms like NPR, This is Africa, and The African Report.

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Should We Be Celebrating Big Tech in Africa?