Minister of Higher Education, Jessie Kabwila has said it’s high time Malawi embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) as it is key for the country to achieve its development goals in line with Malawi 2063 agenda.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday in Lilongwe after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand where she attended 3rd Global Forum on the Ethics of Al by UNESCO, Kabwila said there is need for early adoption of Al to prevent Malawi from being left behind in the global digital economy.
She said the adoption of Al can generate a significant uplift in global GDP by 2030 .
“Our participation in this forum was a significant step towards harnessing AI for sustainable development, as we know AI is crucial in trade, education and other sectors in this era,” said Kabwila.
She further added that the forum is a wake up call for the nation to be self sufficient by generating our own Al.
The Minister has also revealed that, Malawi has proposed establishing a Regional Hub for Al in Southern Africa with support from UNESCO.
Kabwila stated that the adoption of Al is expected to drive economic growth in key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, mining, manufacturing, education, health and energy among others.
She also mentioned the potential for collaboration with Slovenia and Malaysia to build momentum towards digital inclusion and ethical AI leadership.
The forum brought together 194 representatives across the world to engage in critical dialogue on the ethical governance and responsible deployment of Al technologies.
