More than 1,000 delegates are expected to gather in Kigali, Rwanda, in October for a high-level summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the organisers of the event have announced.
Dubbed the Global AI Summit on Africa, the event will be held on the 8th and 9th of October 2024 and will be hosted by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.
According to the organizers, the summit will bring together distinguished government and business leaders, along with experts from academia and civil society, to engage in an in-depth, collaborative dialogue on AI’s transformative role in shaping Africa’s future.
The summit will be held under the theme ‘AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce.”
The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda explained that the theme underscores the urgency of leveraging AI to bolster the productivity of Africa’s youthful workforce, unlock new economic opportunities, and foster inclusive growth across the continent.
“Home to the largest and fastest-growing workforce in the world, Africa is poised to play a consequential role in shaping the global AI agenda. Maximising the benefits, and mitigating the risks, will require multi-stakeholder engagement and inclusive dialogue. This summit aims to advance an ambitious vision for Africa’s leadership in the age of AI,” the organisers said in a statement.
The summit is expected to offer a platform for the exchange of practical insights, collaborations, and the showcasing of innovative AI applications.
“Participants will have the opportunity to interact with cutting-edge technologies and chart an actionable roadmap for the continent,” the statement adds.
“The objective is to translate discussions into tangible actions that can bring about real-world impact, benefiting Africa’s industries, economies, and societies.”
Rwanda has become a hub for high-profile conferences in recent years. Last year alone, the country hosted 165 conferences, attracting over 65,000 delegates from around the world.
The annual Africa CEO Forum is one of the high-level conferences that have been held in the country this year. Hosted in May, the event brought together more than 2,000 business leaders from over 75 countries.
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) co-hosted the event alongside the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries.
