AI-powered systems and solutions are increasingly prevalent across Africa.

For instance, in Kenya, locally designed AI tools have shown the potential to aid farmers in acquiring farming equipment and making informed decisions about the best time to plant or harvest crops.

In Lagos, Nigeria, and other African cities, thriving communities of young data scientists are collaborating to hone their machine learning skills and drive innovation in AI-based technologies and industries. These developments highlight the continent's growing potential as an AI hub.

Taking business to the next level with AI

Several industry sectors have shown exceptional progress in implementing AI for business processes.

Two examples of AI adoption in the agriculture sector include:

• Hello Tractor (of Nigeria), which connects smallholder farmers with tractor owners using AI to optimise logistics and ensure tractors are used efficiently; and
• Zenvus (Nigeria), which is an AI-powered platform that provides farmers with personalized weather forecasts, crop price predictions, and advice on fertilizer application based on data analysis.

The African finance industry has also embraced AI technology.

Branch International (based in Kenya) is a fintech company that uses AI-powered algorithms for credit scoring to offer mobile loans to individuals without a traditional credit history.

Another Kenyan-based business, M-Pesa, is a mobile money transfer service that leverages AI for fraud detection and risk management, ensuring a secure platform for financial transactions.

In South Africa, mobile payment platform Yoco has also shown its staying power. This mobile point-of-sale solution uses AI to simplify and streamline payment processing for small and medium-sized businesses.

Furthermore, AI has also branched out to conservation efforts on the continent.

For instance, Conservation International uses AI to analyse satellite imagery and track elephant populations, helping to combat poaching and protect endangered species.

Seeing how many African businesses and role players are leveraging the power of AI to enhance business processes certainly bodes well for the future. Based on progress already made, the successful application of AI has proven that several opportunities exist for solutions that are sure to future-proof the African business landscape.