By Duncan Mboyah
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), a Nairobi-based technology think tank, has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) institute to position Africa at the forefront of responsible AI innovation and governance.
The ACTS Artificial Intelligence Institute (ACAII), the first of its kind in Kenya, will serve as a nexus for research, innovation, policy development, capacity building, and strategic partnerships in the AI domain across Africa.
Prof. Tom Ogada, ACTS Executive Director, said that the institute will be used to supplement development activities around health, agriculture and technology transfer.
“The Institute builds on the experience and network consolidated for five years since ACTS started implementing projects related to the development and deployment of responsible AI solutions and related policies,” Prof. Ogada said during the virtual launch.
Prof. Ogada noted that the launch, themed “Charting the Path Towards an African-Centered AI Future” is the beginning of a bold and inclusive path for African-centered AI governance, innovation, and capacity-building.
He observed that the launch enables ACTS researchers to do what they have been doing better, with a wider mandate across the continent.
Dr. Brando Okolo, Head of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) at AUDA-NEPAD, stated that there is an upsurge in digital numbers across the continent, where young people are utilizing data centers to provide AI solutions to their fellow continentals.
Dr. Okolo noted that the continental body is supporting researchers who are working at the foundational level of AI and those who have already leveraged AI to be able to commercialize it.
He called on ACTS researchers to look deeply at how African languages can begin to feature within this Institute.
Dr. Winston Ojenge, principal research fellow and the head of the ACTS AI Institute, noted that the institute is involved in research and development of Africanized policy, standards, and ethics of AI.
Dr. Ojenge revealed that the institute is already developing an Africanized scaling of responsible AI toolboxes.
He added that the institute will leverage AI to develop tools to enhance agricultural productivity, such as predictive models for weather patterns and crop yields.
Dr. Ojenge observed that the solutions will empower smallholder farmers, over 60 percent of Africa’s population, to make informed decisions, improve harvests, and strengthen food security in the face of climate change.
AI-driven diagnostics and telemedicine platforms, he said, are being tailored to address Africa’s healthcare challenges, particularly in underserved rural areas.
Dr. Ojenge noted that the ACTS AI Institute is driven by a mission to ensure that AI serves the people of Africa, aligning with the continent’s unique values, priorities, and aspirations.
The Institute, he added, is focusing on responsible AI solutions, AI policy and governance, AI and jobs, AI capacity building, and data science, through which it creates tangible, human-centered impacts in sectors critical to Africa’s development, including agriculture, healthcare, education, and climate resilience.
According to Prof. Alfred Oteng–Yeboah, chairman of the ACTS governing council, the Institute is equipping African policymakers, researchers, and entrepreneurs with the skills to lead in AI development and governance through targeted training programs and curriculum development.
Prof. Oteng–Yeboah noted that the institute’s focus on capacity building ensures that Africa’s human capital is prepared to shape the global AI landscape.
He added that the institute is committed to developing AI ethics frameworks that reflect African values and ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability to protect communities and foster innovation that respects local contexts and needs.
Also read: Africa: ACTS Launches AI Institute to Lead Responsible Innovation
