Google is venturing into groundbreaking applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly focusing on enhancing food security, flood management, and weather forecasting.
During a session with journalists from South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya at the Google Research Africa office in Accra, Ghana, Google expressed its commitment to developing AI solutions tailored to the African continent.
The tech giant believes that AI holds transformative potential for the continent, with a focus on collaborating with local partners to address core challenges that extend globally. Dr. Aisha Walcott, Senior Staff Research Scientist and co-lead at Google Research Africa, highlighted the significant progress in the Open Buildings project, which compiles an open-access database of building footprints across Africa using satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms. This data aids in urban planning, disaster response, and socio-economic studies.
Walcott also emphasised ongoing work on food security challenges, leveraging AI to address issues affecting vulnerable populations. Accurate weather forecasts, crucial for agriculture and various industries, were also highlighted as a key focus.
The Open Buildings project, featuring over 500 million buildings derived from satellite imagery, supports infrastructure development and humanitarian aid, contributing to sustainable development across the continent.
Google researcher Florence Ofori discussed the use of advanced machine learning in flood forecasting, providing precise predictions displayed on the Flood Hub platform. This platform aids communities, especially in riverine regions, in anticipating and mitigating flood impacts across more than 80 countries, including 23 in Africa.
Yossi Matias, Vice President of Engineering and Research at Google, underscored the transformative nature of AI and its ability to address global challenges. Matias emphasised the importance of understanding problems deeply to effectively solve them, aligning with Google’s mission to tackle issues for Africa and the world.
Google’s investment in research in Africa, marked by the establishment of an AI research centre in Accra, Ghana, in 2018 and expansion to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022, aims to position the continent at the forefront of technological development. The company believes that these technologies have the potential to address pressing challenges such as poverty, disease, and hunger in Africa.