Staff Reporter
At the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali, industry leaders emphasised the urgent need for Zimbabwe to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to drive economic growth and social progress.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Paul Mavhima, stressed that embracing AI is not merely an option but a critical step toward national development.
“We must ensure that Zimbabwe is not left behind in this technological revolution. Investing in AI skills and infrastructure is no longer a choice; it is a necessity. There is a need for a strategic overhaul of education and vocational training to incorporate 4IR skills, ensuring that young Zimbabweans are equipped for emerging challenges and opportunities,” he added.
Dr. Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Econet and Cassava Technologies, who also participated as a panellist, outlined his company’s efforts to bolster Africa’s compute capacity in readiness for AI deployment.
“AI is profound, and it will be fundamentally disruptive. We do not fully know where it will take us, but our focus must be on revamping our education system and creating an environment that nurtures innovation.
Our initiatives are already targeting key markets such as South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, and with a vision which resonates with Zimbabwe’s ambition to develop a competitive edge in the evolving digital landscape,” Masiyiwa noted
On the sidelines of the summit, Melinda Mudzurandende, a Zimbabwean robotics student at Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, shared her inspiring journey. Working on assistive devices for individuals with disabilities, she highlighted the untapped potential of Zimbabwean talent in the field of AI and robotics.
“As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I want to set an example and encourage more Zimbabweans to embrace STEM fields. My innovative work not only promises to improve lives but also serves as a reminder of the vast human resource potential waiting to be unlocked in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Zimbabwe’s leaders and innovators are rallying around the vision of an AI-powered economy. With a renewed focus on education, investment, and infrastructural development, the nation stands ready to join the digital revolution and secure a prosperous future in the global technology arena.
