US, China and Africa in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

In China, a KFC outlet first allowed payments using facial recognition in 2017. This was powered by Ant Financial. Meanwhile, at Baidu headquarters all you need to do is smile to order food. 

All of these is powered by artificial intelligence using facial recognition. The technologies available can profile your demographics, that is age, and other details using a snapshot, even if you are not on the database of the AI company itself. 

These innovations in China is direct result of the digital strategy to be fastest growing AI leader by 2025 and the clear leader by 2025. For the records, China generates more data which is the foundation and fuel of artificial intelligence. And China generates 10 times more data than the US. It has 50 times more payments than US. 10 times more e-commerce food delivery and 300 times more shared bicycle rides than US. 

However, the issue with the AI race is not just application or innovation for everyday use as we see with China. It is also about infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence applications. 

We can quickly look at the role of cloud computing, semi-conductors, the Graphical Processing Unit (GPU), open data platforms and libraries. These elements were pioneered in no other than the United States. And the US still leads in this regard. And if China has invented new technologies, it must have done so quietly. However, technological improvement in this age requires iteration and actual improvement before it gets better. 

The openess of the US will likely see it lead in original AI inventions, but maybe China can give it a fight for development of AI applications like that described previously. 

Despite the differences, both nations must be applauded for the work and vision respectively. They are both established AI Superpowers as Kai-Fu Le says. 

Bringing this conversation down to Africa will inspire fear of inequality that will exist between AI rich and AI poor nations. AI rich nations like America, China and Japan, Germany, to an extent will create more wealth since AI is a General Purpose Technology, considering it's High Aggregate Economic Impact. 

And just like how the Steam Engine in the 1800's and IT services in the 2000's added 0.3% and 0.6% to economic growth yearly, McKinsey estimates that AI will add 1.2% to growth every year. But all of these will accrue to countries that innovate with AI and use it to engender productivity. Issues such as data, talent, digital infrastructure and digital economy efficiency have been highlighted as factors that will help capture value from artificial intelligence. 

How will Africa fare in all of this? That is the big question. Are we looking at another wave of inequality in Africa?

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