Responsible AI Lab II

 

This project is part of the Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D) program, a five-year partnership between IDRC and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to support policy, innovations and expanded leadership to spur safe and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) development and use in Africa. The vision of the new partnership is to support an inclusive, responsible AI ecosystem that improves quality of life for all in Africa and beyond.

AI, when combined with other technologies, could play an essential role in helping countries in sub-Saharan Africa achieve their development goals. However, critical gaps, including a skills gap, inhibit the integration and adoption of AI technologies in a responsible manner.
To support the development of a sustainable approach to nurturing local talent to engage in multidisciplinary, responsible AI research and innovation, this project will consolidate the gains from establishing the Responsible AI Lab (RAIL). RAIL seeks to deepen understanding of how to develop and apply responsible AI tools for the advancement of computer, biomedical, agricultural and ecological sciences, as well as the development of assistive devices for differently abled persons.

This project will strengthen the capacities of researchers, focusing on the interplay among energy and the environment, health systems, food security and assistive devices in the most vulnerable communities. It will develop and test responsible AI frameworks to deploy AI-enabled services safely, and will work to strengthen national and international collaboration of public universities with the private sector. The project will also embark on initiatives to encourage increased participation of women in technology through outreach to pre-tertiary schools.