Rinchi
TechInAfrica – The most recent study by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and Oxford Insights reveals that Kenya ranks first in Africa to prepare for the adoption of the new technology. In the global level, Kenya ranks 52nd, leaving behind other African countries.
Cited from Standard Media, the Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at Strathmore Law School, Isaac Rutenberg said: “There are already numerous examples to show that AI is being applied to local problems. From sexual and reproductive health monitoring chatbots in Kenya to smart farming in Nigeria, to the tracking of illegal fishing in West Africa by AI-powered drones, the potential for AI to aid localized technology solutions is emerging.”
The report notes that the lack of research and data for the extent of application development and skills readiness on the continent shows that the knowledge is mostly still contextualized according to the realities of Western economies. As a result, policymakers need to learn more from the experiences of developed economies.
Another report by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the overseas development institute last year predicted that thousands of Kenyans could be jobless in the near future due to the increased digitization in global manufacturing which draws capital from developing countries to developed countries.
The report says that the deployment of digital technologies and robotics in manufacturing can cause many people losing their jobs while at the same time create new job opportunities and tasks in manufacturing sectors.
The report reveals that MSMEs are the least prepared in building digital capabilities. It’s only around 20 – 40% of them have set IT policy while 78% large firms have IT policy set in place.
In Kenyan manufacturing, the machinery, transport, and electronic sectors are leading the adoption of digitization. On the other hand, the food sector is far lagged behind other sectors.
Source: standardmedia.co.ke
