Title of Discussion: Artificial Intelligence and Social Innovation
Objectives and Scope:
The panel brings together experts from different disciplinary fields to address the issue of artificial intelligence through its social, economic, and political stakes, because, beyond the technical, it is a question of identity, living together and ethics, in short, human development. The panel will also explore the existing dynamics and the possibilities of creating networks of efficient actors at the service of African development.
Panelists:
Ida Nganga
Founder Ida Nganga leads a Regional Consortium of Experts for Development who use technology as an enabler for achieving the SDGs (RCD Africa). She is also the Regional Head, UNESCO Emerging Technologies for Development which is based at Université Bordeaux Montaigne, France.
She supports research on the impact of emerging technologies (artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain), gender, data policy & Africa collaboration. She is President Women in STEM Network & its Women in AI Africa Network; and a trainer/coach in adaptive leadership and emotional intelligence & resilience, for technology and socio-economic impact-driven organizations affected by COVID-19.
Ida has a long track record in the use of ICT for massive developmental impact having won many awards, such as IoT Innovation Award by European Union and the African Leadership Top Award ‘Outstanding Mentor’. She has mentored many great emerging technology innovators on the continent. She is on the advisory committees for Government – Afrinic, Africa Strategy 2020 – ICANN, Online Safety/COP – Communications Authority and the Global Peace Foundation Ke. She is Co-Chair, Internet for Development Global Community and it’s the Internet for Education Lead. She is a Google Partner on online safety & security, computer science education, and cloud solutions, as well as a Lead Ambassador for Africa Code Week (SAP, UNESCO).
Follow Ida Nganga via Twitter or LinkedIn.
Phumza Dyani
Phumza Dyani is the Founder of the Pan African Network for Investment and Development (PANfID), and a partner in the Southern African region for the Regional Consortium of Experts for Development (RCD Africa).
Phumza Dyani has spent over 18 years in various roles in the ICT industry. She has worked for the major Mobile Operators in the continent, MTN and Vodacom, and has operated across spheres in her career. She is currently employed as the Chief Marketing and Sales Officer for Broadband Infraco, an organisation with a mandate of connecting the rural and underserved communities of South Africa to enable universal access. She prides herself with having witnessed the evolution of Telecoms from the era of 2G right up to the current emergence of 5G Technologies. She is fully conversant in policy discussions in Emerging Technologies like AI, IOT, Blockchain and Robotics. She is a Member of the Global Women in AI, Women in Tech and a South African Ambassador for Celo (which is a Blockchain Ecosystem). She is also an International Partner for the World Business Angels Forum for Investments. She holds an MBA from Bond Australia and a myriad of other Global Leadership Qualifications. Amongst the highlights of her career, Phumza was selected and underwent development under the Vodafone Leadership pipeline.
Phumza is a Speaker on a myriad of topics in ICT, with a special passion for the involvement of women in ICT as leverage for industries as well as AI and IOT. She is a Columnist for Global Trade, a publication for the Trade and Development of the African Economy. She is also a member of the BMF (Black Management Forum) as well as IoDSA (The Institute of Directors South Africa).
Follow Phumza Dyani via Twitter or LinkedIn.
Prof. Alain Kiyindou
Alain Kiyindou is a Professor of Information and Communication Sciences at Bordeaux Montaigne University in France. Holder of the UNESCO Chair Emerging Practices in Technologies and Communication for Development, Director of the Mediation, Information, Communication, and Art Laboratory, former president of the French Society of Information and Communication Sciences. He has published numerous books on information and communication technologies in relation to developing countries. The most recent is entitled Artificial Intelligence, Challenges, and Practices for Development. He has also carried out studies on the state of the digital Francophonie and on the evaluation of indicators of the universality of the Internet.
More information about COMTECDEV can be found here.