The South African Artificial Intelligence Association (SAAIA), an industry body focused on promoting the advancement of responsible AI in South Africa, has launched in Cape Town, in partnership with Wesgro.
SAAIA seeks to encourage stakeholders to adopt responsible AI for the commercial and societal benefit of the citizens of South Africa with a primary focus on economic growth, trade, investment, equality and inclusivity by uniting practitioners across commercial, government, academic, start-up and NGO sectors.
Dr Nick Bradshaw, founder of SAAIA, says: “The current debate on the use of AI reveals both the challenges and opportunities as well as possible harms that AI and related smart technologies could herald for both citizens, companies and the wider economy.
“Our research has shown that AI and related automation technologies are currently impacting more than 120 traditional industries globally, while creating a need for learning and change in a timescale never seen before. The speed of this disruption is faster than any other industrial revolution that has gone before it. As such SAAIA seeks to encourage stakeholders in the adoption of responsible AI for commercial and societal benefit with a primary focus on regulation, economic growth, trade, investment, fairness, equality and inclusivity.”
SAAIA’s founding partners and Advisory Board members are drawn from across multiple domains and are passionate about the adoption of responsible AI. These include the national Department of Communication and Digital Technologies (DCDT); the AI Institute of South Africa; Tshwane University of Technology; University of Johannesburg; Google; Western Cape Government; Gauteng Tourism Authority; MICT SETA; Anza Capital; Michalsons; GIZ; Izwe.ai; ExploreAI; Cirrus AI; TinyML Foundation; Augmented Startups; Data Economy Policy Hub; Socially Acceptable; mLab; Zindi; the Technology Innovation Agency; ecosystem.Ai and Webber Wentzel.
Alan Winde, premier of the Western Cape, says: “AI can be a force for good but it’s also key that we understand its strengths and shortcomings and plan appropriately for its impact, both positive and negative. If positively harnessed and used in the best interests of our citizens, AI offers numerous opportunities in spurring on economic growth. Our province has always been a leading tech hub for new technology innovations and start-ups and we have a healthy ecosystem of innovators focused on AI and related smart technologies.”