In a interval of 6 months, Cameroon hosted 3 necessary occasions whose fundamental theme revolved across the rise of Synthetic Intelligence (AI). Current at these conferences, Minette Libom Likeng, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel) grew to become the primary advocate for this know-how which she presents as an important asset for the supply of providers in varied sectors of exercise. growth. This laudatory speech got here out on the Nationwide Consultations on Synthetic Intelligence (Conia) that she organized in Yaoundé from June 25 to 26, 2024. “Synthetic intelligence represents an unprecedented alternative to remodel our financial system, enhance our training and well being methods, and supply new views in lots of fields.“, she stated on the closing ceremony.
This necessary brainstorming session, introduced by the member of the federal government 3 months earlier on the Yaoundé Convention on synthetic intelligence and the media, set the suitable framework for his “Efficient Adoption of Synthetic Intelligence in Cameroon”. The final one comes within the type of proposals that should, in precept, be a reference for the smart adoption of Synthetic Intelligence in Cameroon. These embody the event of a nationwide AI growth technique; strengthening digital infrastructure; growing AI abilities; promote innovation and analysis in AI; growth of an acceptable authorized and regulatory framework for AI; the adoption of AI within the well being, training, agriculture and different sectors with a excessive affect on social transformation; selling ethics and accountability in AI.
Issues that can not be prevented
Though Cameroon remains to be in its infancy relating to using synthetic intelligence, it’s inevitable that the federal government’s rising curiosity on this know-how will pressure it to return to phrases with its enormous affect. on the world of labor. In reality, based on an knowledgeable who met through the Conia, “AI can automate repetitive and handbook duties, which can make some jobs out of date, particularly in manufacturing and administrative sectors“. Far more, based on the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) which in January 2024 analyzed this situation “virtually 40% of jobs worldwide are open to AI. The place automation and know-how have historically centered on repetitive duties, AI stands out in its capacity to affect high-skilled jobs. Subsequently, AI poses extra dangers to superior international locations, however additionally they have extra alternatives to benefit from its advantages than rising and growing international locations.», indicating this establishment. Nevertheless, for low-income international locations like Cameroon, the IMF predicts worse inequality.
Therefore the necessity, she suggests, to diversify “sector-specific coaching, apprenticeships in addition to upskilling and retraining programmes”. In response to the Bretton Woods establishment, they’re “It might play an even bigger position in making ready employees for jobs within the AI period“. As well as, you will need to use “complete social help applications for employees experiencing long-term unemployment or experiencing decreased native labor demand attributable to automation or following industrial plant closures“, she stated.
Cameroon prepares the motion
These suggestions are according to these made throughout CONIA, particularly the suggestions associated to the implementation of methods to anticipate and help the affect of AI on the labor market, learn on the closing ceremony of this occasion. Nevertheless, in Cameroon, we’re nonetheless removed from the nice upheaval. To think about this, we have to enhance using AI, and fashionable power and digital infrastructures are wanted for it to work.
In response to Pierre Nkoa Ayissi, nationwide director of the Financial institution of Central African States (Beac) “To function ChatGPT, some 3,617 servers are wanted, with a complete of 28,936 graphics processors, representing a mean consumption of 564 Megawatt hours of electrical energy per day. If we have been to combine ChatGPT into each Google search engine to reply to each web consumer request, this might require 512,800 A100 kind servers, for an estimated consumption of 29.2 terawatt hours per 12 months, equal to Eire’s annual electrical energy consumption.“, he revealed throughout his speech in Conia.
In response to the latter, In order that Cameroon can even profit from synthetic intelligence, “Having an up-to-date power infrastructure is important. This can be a key issue within the success of the digital transition to which we’re all being invited by the federal government. It appears that evidently an finish to the continued hydroelectric tasks in Cameroon is important for us on this regard.».
