Tech expert and creative director of Brainbox, Kolawole Adebayo, has stated that African countries need an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) strategy to manage the fear associated with the adoption and utilisation of AI tools for work.

Adebayo, who is a tech analyst and contributor for Forbes, Fast Company, Dark Reading, among others, recently said this in an interview on News Central TV where he spoke on the topic: ‘AI in Africa: Threat or opportunity for jobs?’

He noted that the fear associated with AI is real and not exaggerated, highlighting a website called ‘Will a Robot Take My Job’ where people can go to check the risk factors for their jobs.

“So, the fear is real. What I think African nations should be doing is to create a national AI strategy in their respective countries that will change the narrative of that fear, which is amplified by the lack of information in the public,” he said.

The tech expert revealed that there are a few countries in Africa, about eight of them, that have a national AI strategy. He listed some of them to include Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Egypt.

“And we have 54 countries in Africa. When you put that into perspective, it means we are not doing enough in shaping that narrative,” he added.

Adebayo said that the way to change the negative narrative is to acknowledge that even though the fear is there, AI also provides opportunities.

He further said that though AI can displace some jobs, it can also create more jobs, especially in data science, data analysis, and AI governance, which is now an interesting trend, because “we need to have a framework that governs how AI tools are being built and used.”

On the dangers that AI pose, Adebayo explained that AI applications are a function of the data or information they are trained on, which means they can produce incorrect outcomes called AI bias.

“To manage this bias, there has to be a human who will always be in the loop to check or correct these AI lapses,” he said.

The Brainbox boss said that Nigerian sectors that will benefit most from AI are healthcare, agriculture, and education. In light of this, he noted that AI and human beings can collaborate to work faster and better, and that this is where the trend is going right now.

“So, AI will not replace people. Rather, people who can use AI will replace other people who cannot. If you are not using these tools, you are missing out,” he concluded.