Last week, BongoHive Consult facilitated an engaging and insightful workshop titled “From Insights to Integration: AI and the Power of Togetherness” at the Mozilla Festival. The session aimed to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and the crucial role it can play in driving economic and social development in Zambia. The workshop brought together a diverse panel of experts, including Lukonga Lindunda, Executive Director at BongoHive Consult; Muyanje Likumba, Data and Impact Associate at BongoHive Consult; Pendo Manjele, Co-founder of Ubuntu AI; and Charlene Migwe-Kagume, Director at Mastercard Foundation Partnership, Caribou Digital.

Pendo Manjele kicked off the discussion by highlighting the immense benefits AI offers across various sectors. She explained how AI-powered automation and decision support can significantly boost productivity, freeing up time for workers to focus on more strategic, high-value tasks. “AI allows businesses to optimize operations, improve efficiency, and make data-driven decisions that can drive growth,” she said. Pendo also emphasized the broader economic impact of AI, citing projections that AI adoption will contribute up to $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030, opening up new industries, business models, and job opportunities. She noted that AI could create an estimated 97 million new high-skilled jobs worldwide, positioning AI as a key driver of economic growth.

However, while the benefits of AI are clear, Pendo pointed out that Zambia’s adoption rate remains relatively low. Many organizations in the country are still hesitant to integrate AI into their business processes, which presents a significant challenge to unlocking its full potential. She also highlighted Zambia’s heavy reliance on foreign-developed AI solutions like ChatGPT and Meta AI, noting the gap in locally developed, homegrown AI innovations. “Zambia’s AI landscape is still in its infancy, but it is full of untapped potential,” Pendo remarked. Key sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and finance offer immense opportunities for AI-driven transformation, and developing locally relevant AI solutions will be critical to Zambia’s future success in this space.

Charlene Migwe-Kagume from Caribou Digital further explored the importance of building strong local ecosystems to foster AI innovation. She emphasized that creating an environment conducive to AI development requires collaboration between governments, businesses, educational institutions, and the tech community.

To conclude the workshop, BongoHive’s Muyanje Likumba facilitated an AI readiness assessment exercise among participants. The exercise provided valuable insights into the barriers that need to be addressed to ensure the successful integration of AI into Zambia’s digital economy.

Lukonga Lindunda, Executive Director of BongoHive, wrapped up the session by reinforcing the message that AI is not a distant future, but a present-day opportunity.