The national Artificial Intelligence policy, approved recently by the cabinet, will require a total investment of $76.5 million over the next five years, The New Times has learnt.
Out of the total investment, however, at least $1.2 million is already funded or budgeted, as the country looks to leverage AI to power economic growth, improve quality of life, and position Rwanda as a global innovator for responsible and inclusive AI.
Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, is any technology that enables machines to emulate human capabilities to sense, comprehend and act.
For the most part, it is used under two categories, including focusing on automating a very specific, or narrow, task with the aim of developing the capability to successfully complete a given task, in the most efficient way possible.
The other category refers to technological systems with an intellectual capability equal or greater to that of an individual across domains.
Enormous potential for Rwanda
The policy comes at a time various market signals indicate that AI is a top business priority, despite the technology gaining steam only five years ago.
For instance, global corporate investment in AI increased from $79.6 billion to an annual $276.1 billion by 2021, according to a report from Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI.
In Rwanda, the government predicts an ecosystem worth $589 million potential in the next five years.
"First and foremost, it aligns with the country's strategic priorities, strengths and weaknesses. This includes foundational challenges," said Joris Cyizere, the acting Managing Director at the Centre of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR). The centre is also tasked with the development of AI in the country.
For instance, Cyizere said, like the rest of the world, Rwanda struggles with issues of accessibility and affordability of healthcare, whilst also facing ever-rising levels of chronic disease and severe healthcare workforce shortages.
One of the solutions, he said, is the partnership between Rwanda and Babylon Holdings, locally known Babyl, which has launched its AI-powered triage tool to further digitize the healthcare system.
The firm has over 2.6 million registered patients and completes up to 4,000 consultations every day.
"Integrating such cutting-edge technology, such as the AI-powered triage tool, into the existing healthcare system is critical in improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare across the country," Cyizere said.
The solution is now used by Babyl's call centre nurses to help them work more efficiently and make better, quicker decisions for their patients.
"The tool helps nurses ask patients the right questions, collect necessary information about a patient's symptoms, and provide them with insights to help choose the correct triage path. If a follow-up appointment is needed, the patient information collected on the triage call is passed on to the doctor, saving both the clinician and the patient time," Cyizere said.
Some questions unanswered
Experts have previously raised concerns that much as the development and adoption of AI have the potential to dramatically improve lives and livelihoods across the country, the opportunities are also connected with serious risks.
This, Cyizere argues, in turn, requires rigorous planning and design, as well as consideration of and adherence to strong ethical principles throughout the entire lifecycle from strategy inception to operational implementation.
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"No one has the right answer to what might be the likely effects, especially to the ordinary workforce. But we can see that technology is growing a lot and our task is to deliberate on how we make this fair," he said.
Equally important, James Ndekezi, an AI enthusiast based in Kigali, said there is a need to create a strong research collaboration between academia, industry, and government institutions.
"This will boost the local AI ecosystem, similar to those in the developed countries, but also we need cooperation that can facilitate the global interconnectedness of the AI value chain and the global distribution of capabilities and expertise," Ndekezi said.
Way forward
For Cyizere, given the fast-paced development of AI and its application, countries, Rwanda inclusive, need to be ready and stay agile.
"A national AI strategy is a good start but we also need to accommodate technological advancements and changing applications."
