Unleashing The Essence of Artificial Intelligence In Malawi

We are seeing the rise of AI globally. Has Malawi positioned itself for AI? Are we ready? Do we have what it takes?

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is a branch of computer science that deals with the training of computers to have human-like behavior. I remember being young and wanting to talk to computers like we do now via Voice Assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. It has always been interesting that mankind has come this far.

The Context of AI in a Third-World Country - Malawi

I am from Malawi. Access to technological advancements is still a challenge here. Over the years things have been improving. Would I say we are where we need to be? No. Are we positioning ourselves to be where we need to be as a country? Respect to all people and organizations fighting to put ourselves where we need to be, but I still think we are not there yet.

It is my firm belief that technology is an essential part of our lives. Every human being in Malawi should have some form of access to these advances. Technology in general is not accessible to most people in the country.

While I have seen countries like Rwanda crafting policies for Artificial Intelligence, I am yet to see that being done in Malawi. I hope and believe that sooner or later we will see that happen.

My biggest worry is that it is just a small fraction of people, especially tech people, who know or understand the latest tech trends. It is one of the reasons why I thought of creating TechMalawi - a community to educate the people of Malawi about what's happening out there in tech as well as locally.

Action Points

Here are some things Malawi can do to embrace AI:

• Access to gadgets – Efforts must continue to ensure smartphones become a norm rather than a luxury. Having 75–90% of our population with access to smartphones and the internet would open up a huge market and unlock AI-powered services.
• Artificial Intelligence Curriculum – While AI is taught as a module in some schools, it needs to be broadened and made practical. We should include real-world implementation so students can experiment and build solutions contextualized to Malawian needs.
• Policy Development – We need AI policies that protect citizens, especially around the use of personal data in training models, algorithmic transparency, accountability, and ethical deployment.
• An Open Source Datahub – Local developers struggle to access Malawian data. Initiatives like NyasaDataHub can help by providing a public data repository that exposes open data via APIs, enabling the creation of contextualized AI solutions.

The Essence of AI In Malawi

Agriculture

Agriculture is currently our main industry. We could use AI to identify crop diseases, predict yields, and detect anything that can impact production. Mobile applications and low-cost devices could be dispatched to local advisors and farmers directly in the fields to support real-time decision-making.

Healthcare

Our healthcare system would benefit greatly from AI. Imagine having predictive analytics for treating diseases and managing limited resources. If a pregnant woman died with similar conditions that a current patient is experiencing, AI-driven decision support could flag the risk and suggest alternative interventions, potentially preventing avoidable deaths.

Electoral System

AI can be used to detect anomalies in elections by spotting unusual voting patterns, duplicate entries, or suspicious result changes. Combined with technologies like blockchain for verifiable records, AI could help increase transparency and trust in the electoral process.

Children's Education

Children should have access to AI-based learning systems customized to their capabilities and learning pace. Technology-assisted learning has proven to be one of the best ways to teach children, especially where teacher-to-student ratios are high and resources are limited.

This post was originally published on Medium.