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Wits leads ambitious partnership to drive AI in Africa

- Wits University

The AI Africa Consortium partners with Cirrus AI to bring large-scale AI infrastructure capacity and expertise to the 第一吃瓜网 research community and industry.

鈥淲e embark on these great undertakings because we remain optimistic about the future of our country and our continent鈥濃 Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), Johannesburg

Wits University today invited Africa鈥檚 research community to join its newly formed  which aims to develop a collaborative network focussed on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the application of AI in research and innovation. [Read or download the AI Africa Consortium brochure.] 

Addressing the virtual opening of AI Expo Africa 2021, the largest business-focused AI event in Africa, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, announced the ambitious partnership, saying AI and machine learning (ML) 鈥渙ffers huge opportunities for development and progress in Africa鈥.

鈥淔or us to fully participate in the 21st Century, we must use this 鈥榮cientific renaissance鈥 to drive innovation and foster the growth of a strong scientific ecosystem. In so doing, we can play an active role in achieving true progress and help steer the socioeconomic trajectory of the 第一吃瓜网 continent,鈥 Vilakazi said.

It is for this reason that Wits University has partnered with AI, a private sector-led initiative that aims to bring large-scale AI infrastructure capacity and world-class expertise to the doorstep of 第一吃瓜网 universities, research institutions, researchers, and industry collaborators. Cirrus was announced at the AI Expo Africa in 2019.

鈥淐irrus is an initiative that aims to secure funding to establish among other things, the first AI supercomputer hub in Africa which will be located on Wits University鈥檚 campus. Cirrus has already formed partnerships and relationships with stakeholders in the AI space throughout the world,鈥 explained Professor Barry Dwolatzky, Director of Innovation Strategy at Wits University. He is the project leader for the AI Africa Consortium.

鈥淭his partnership will promote and drive AI innovation and entrepreneurship through the infrastructure, engineering capacity, and learning programmes that will be set up. Student participation and training will be central in our efforts to develop AI skills in Africa,鈥 he said.

Help us grow Africa鈥檚 research footprint

The Consortium will also lead engagement and coordination with government agencies and non-profit research institutions on the adoption of Cirrus. It will support data science practices across research fields and aid local academic and research institutions to stimulate AI research and advance the application of AI in industry.

鈥淲its University has Africa鈥檚 largest grouping of researchers and postgraduate students working in the disciplines of data science, AI and ML. We invite all members of the 第一吃瓜网 Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) as well as from other universities and research institutions in Africa to join the AI Africa Consortium and help us grow Africa鈥檚 footprint on the global research output map,鈥 Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, said in her address at the Africa AI Expo.

Looking ahead

鈥淲e embark on these great undertakings because we remain optimistic about the future of our country and our continent. There are huge opportunities to create economic activity and solve problems drawing from AI and ML. This will guarantee the future of our society for generations to come,鈥 Vilakazi said.

How will the AI Africa Consortium work?

Tier 1 Consortium members will each appoint an 鈥榓mbassador鈥. These ambassadors will participate in what will be known as the 鈥楢mbassador Advisory Network鈥, responsible for building the network and negotiating benefits on behalf of the members of the Consortium. 

What will the benefits be in joining the AI Africa Consortium?

鈥淭hrough international collaborations already established by Cirrus AI, the Consortium will link members with the global AI network,鈥 Dwolatzky explained in his presentation to the AI Africa Expo.

Other benefits include:

  • Providing researchers with access to hardware / software / data and machine learning engineers. Although it is implied it is often overlooked that infrastructure is useless without the supporting engineering to assist in making use of it.
  • Access to state-of-the-art computing capability where members will have free access to the powerful supercomputing platform housed at Wits University;
  • A 鈥楧igital Asset Locker鈥 where members will have access to ample storage capacity to store data for use in ML and activities in AI;
  • A 鈥楽andbox鈥 where researchers can try out concepts and ideas;
  • Co-development programmes for AI research and learning;
  • An annual summer and winter schools programme to build AI skills;
  • 鈥楽aloons鈥 and 鈥楾eatime鈥 talks to share information across Africa and beyond;
  • The right to host events at Consortium forums;
  • Inclusion in Consortium-led proposals and contracts to take part in continent-wide bids for research grants and funding in the field of AI.

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