Surprising AI innovations out of South Africa have been helping meet the needs of the continent, from bridging language divides in the emergent field to crucial new applications in agriculture.
Arthur Goldstuck, a tech journalist and author from South Africa, stressed that language models like ChatGPT may not meet the needs of Africans who speak less dominant languages, but that problem may be addressed by new African-made models.
"There is a big AI divide in the sense that when you look at the large language models that are driving generative AI, most of those are produced in the global north with the United States and China in the lead. But we also see countries like France, for example, very active in producing large language models. And what this means is that most of this AI is trained on dominant languages, like English or Mandarin, or French. And on a continent like Africa, where there are hundreds of languages, and for many people, their home language is not one of the dominant global languages, AI becomes, to some extent, inaccessible," Goldstuck said, speaking in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
He also noted that South Africa's localized AI growth, which focuses on addressing local needs such as agricultural analysis, is bridging practical challenges across the continent.
"We are seeing initiatives, however, tremendous innovation across Africa, especially in the sense of addressing the needs of the continent. I say, in my book about AI that innovation in Silicon Valley is usually based on opportunity. Across the African continent, innovation is based on need. And when you are taking the learnings of 75 years of research into AI and apply them to the specific needs and challenges of the African continent. You see incredible things happen," said the author.
"In South Africa, specifically, there's a company called Aerobotics that uses drones to take video footage of crops and orchards. So the AI analyzes what is happening on the ground, continually, and then allowing the farmer to continually intervene to ensure that they have the best possible crops. And that technology is now being used across Africa," he said.
S Africa bridges global gap in AI development through necessity-driven innovation
Organizers of the 2024 Shanghai International Film and TV Festival on Tuesday unveiled the jury panels who will both pick out the winners of the prestigious Golden Goblet Award for best film and the year's best TV content in the highly sought after Magnolia Awards.
Scheduled to run from June 14-28, the annual event, jointly hosted by the China Media Group (CMG) and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, will select the very best productions out of thousands of films and TV creations which are vying for victory in the coveted entertainment industry awards.
During a press briefing for the event held in the capital Beijing on Tuesday, officials revealed the promotional posters for both events, drawing inspiration from the captivating cityscape and iconic landmarks of the east China metropolis of Shanghai.
Additionally, the jury committees for the major competition categories were announced. Notably, French-Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung will lead the jury panel for the Golden Goblet Award, while Chinese director Yan Jiangang will preside over the top Magnolia Award for the TV industry.
The CMG will provide comprehensive coverage of the two-week-long festival period, with over 300 hours of uninterrupted live streaming, while also inviting renowned figures from the film and TV industry to share their insights and experiences during a series of special programs aired as part of the event.
Organizers note that thousands of works have come in from around the world, offering a distinct international flavor with a feast of different cultures, while a record number of productions are also set to make their debuts during the festival.
"We have received over 3,700 films from 105 countries and regions for exhibition or competition for the Golden Goblet Award since the collection began. A total of 2,224 works registered for competition, with over 1,375 works making their debut during the festival, marking a record high. This underscores the growing international influence of the Golden Goblet Award and reflects our commitment to cultural exchanges worldwide with strong cultural confidence, advancing Shanghai's vision of becoming an international cultural metropolis," said Chen Guo, director of Shanghai International Film and TV Festival Center.
Authorities unveil jury panels for upcoming Shanghai Int'l Film, TV Festival
