iAfrikan BYTES

In this episode of iAfrikan Bytes, we sit down with Prof Mpho Primus, Co-Director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems at the University of Johannesburg and founder of Primus Tech Hub, to explore how language, ethics, and immersive technology are shaping Africa’s digital future. She shares her journey from linguistics to AI, highlighting how African languages can drive machine learning. Her wo...

In this episode of iAfrikan BYTES, we speak with Dr Jabu Motsweni, Chief Researcher and Centre Manager at the Information and Cyber Security centre of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He unpacks South Africa’s approach to cybersecurity and the innovations shaping the continent’s digital resilience. From secure identity systems and state policy collaboration to the urgent...

Recorded at IndabaX South Africa 2024, Prof Lynn Morris of Wits University shares how research, AI, and innovation can anchor Africa’s future. From immersive tech to digital hubs, she outlines Wits bold vision for ethical, impactful research. A must listen for anyone invested in African Innovation.

In In this episode of iAfrikan Bytes, we sit down with Professor Benjamin Rosman, Director of the newly launched Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute (MIND) at Wits University, to unpack the future of robotics and machine learning in Africa. Rosman dives deep into developments at the intersection of AI and robotics, from cutting-edge research to real-world applications. He compares...

In this episode of iAfrikan BYTES, Frans Meyer, CEO of Alphawave, shares the company’s evolution from antenna engineering to becoming a key player in AI and advanced technology. He explores AI-driven startups, the SKA project, and the challenges of scaling founder led businesses. With AI and ML transforming engineering, Meyer emphasises the need for talent development and equipping engineers for t...

Tune in to iAfrikan BYTES as we sit down with Pelonomi Moiloa, CEO and co-founder of Lelapa AI, at Indaba X South Africa to explore the future of AI on the continent. She delves into the urgent need for foundational AI and ML skills, the shift from research to commercialization, and the role of ethical data use in Africa’s technological self-sufficiency. Moiloa also unpacks the risks of AI halluci...

What does it take to create Artificial Intelligence (AI) that serves humanity rather than exploits it? In this unmissable episode of the iAfrikan Bytes, cognitive scientist and Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in AI honoree, Abeba Birhane, dives deep into the pressing ethical challenges and groundbreaking opportunities in AI. Abeba brings a fresh, African perspective to the global A...

AI isn’t just about futuristic promises, it’s about tackling real-world challenges today. In this episode of iAfrikan Bytes, Greg Newman, CEO of Bytefuse, unpacks how his company is creating AI solutions that transform industries like transport and education. Bytefuse’s work in reinforcement learning is revolutionizing traffic systems, even as they navigate the financial hurdles faced by cash-stra...

In the bustling halls of the Deep Learning Indaba 2024 in Dakar, Senegal, iAfrikan caught up with Karim Beguir, the visionary CEO of InstaDeep. Fresh off a $680 million acquisition by BioNTech, the deal stands as Africa’s largest deep-tech exit, propelling the Tunisian-born AI company into the global spotlight. But with big opportunities come tough questions: Can InstaDeep maintain its bold, Afric...

During the Deep Learning Indaba 2024 in Dakar, Senegal, iAfrikan sat down with Pelonomi Moiloa, CEO of Lelapa AI, and Jade Abbott, CTO, to explore their journey and contributions to African AI development. Lelapa AI has recently launched innovative tools like Vula Vula, a multilingual communication platform, and InkubaLM, a language model designed to support African languages. In October 2024, the...

In this episode of iAfrikan Bytes Nando De Freitas, Principal Scientist and Team Lead at DeepMind, takes us on a journey through his academic and professional life, offering insights into the driving forces behind his pursuit of artificial intelligence (AI). At DeepMind, Nando leads a team that is at the forefront of machine learning research. In the podcast, he shares the current research priorit...

In our latest podcast interview, medical doctor turned MLOps engineer and health data scientist Dr Chris Fourie is making waves in the intersection of AI, healthcare, and social good. A key focus of the conversation was Chris's work with SisonkeBiotik, a grassroots community they co-founded, dedicated to making AI and machine learning for health research more accessible in Africa. Chris also provi...

CEO and Co-Founder of Lelapa AI Pelonomi Moiloa,joins us in our latest episode of iAfrikan Bytes. Pelonomi’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and pivoting. Initially drawn to biomedical and electrical engineering due to her fascination with artificial organs and limbs, she found herself increasingly captivated by AI's potential within the biomedical field. Her academic pursuits took her from...

Join us in this episode as we meet Jade Abbott, CTO of Lelapa AI and Co-Founder of Masakhane. With a Master of Science in Computer Science, graduating cum laude, Jade delves into her pivotal role in NLP and her founding of Masakhane, A grassroots NLP community for Africa, by Africans and Lelapa AI, inspired by her experiences at the Deep Learning Indaba. She discusses the Indaba’s influence on fos...

Join us in this enlightening episode of African BYTES as we sit down with Karim Beguir, Co-Founder and CEO of InstaDeep. Discover how the Deep Learning Indaba played a crucial role in Shaping InstaDeep’s journey, including the organisation of Indaba Tunisia in 2022 and its profound impact. We also explore the recent acquisition of InstaDeep by BioNTech, delving into what this significant developme...

We speak with Vukosi Marivate, a well known authority on data science and artificial intelligence. We delved deeply into the revolutionary possibilities of Data Science and AI in tackling societal issues during our talk with Marivate. A new age of research and development in Africa is being ushered in by his work at the University of Pretoria and his participation in events such as the Deep Learni...

In conversation with Avishkar Bhoopchand, a native of Cape Town whose career path from software engineer in the financial sector to research engineer at DeepMind perfectly embodies the combination of technical expertise and creative thinking required in today's AI environment. A noteworthy contribution made by Avishkar to the AI community is his participation in the Deep Learning Indaba. As the ge...

Are you passionate about data science and machine learning? Meet Kathleen Siminyu, a dynamic data scientist and researcher at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), who excels not only in driving technical innovation but also in fostering inclusivity and community within the field. In this exclusive interview, Kathleen shares insights into her impactful work, particularly her experiences at...

In this episode of iAfrikan BYTES, we are honoured to have Prof. Ulrich Paquet, a leading expert in artificial intelligence and machine learning. With a career spanning over two decades, Ulrich is currently the Director at AIMS South Africa, an institute dedicated to advancing mathematical sciences. Prof. Paquet earned his PhD in Machine Learning from the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laborat...

In this episode of iAfrikan BYTES, we delve into the vibrant world of AI and machine learning in Africa with Amal Rannen-Triki, a seasoned researcher and advocate for ML communities across the continent. Amal begins by introducing us to IndabaX, a grassroots movement aiming to democratize AI education and foster local ML talent. She highlights the significance of these small, localized events happ...

Four months away from the start of Deep Learning Indaba in Senegal, we are joined by one of the Indaba’s founders, Dr. Shakir Mohamed. As a board member of NeurIPS and recognised as one of Time Magazine's '100 Most Influential People in AI,' Dr Mohamed has made substantial contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning In this episode, Dr Mohamed reflects on the early y...

AI and machine learning technologies are being used in numerous industries that were previously thought to be restricted to using conventional production techniques. In this episode of iAfrikan BYTES features a talk between Daniela Massiceti and us as part of our ongoing coverage series on African AI and machine learning research. Daniela is an intriguing and surprising person who specializes in m...

Cognitive scientist, Prof. Abebe Birhane, joined iAfrikan for an episode of iAfrikan BYTES, live at the University of Ghana during Deep Learning Indaba in September 2023. Awarded Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in AI"  Abebe helped establish the field of auditing publicly available AI training datasets. This is very important because it keeps dangerous datasets from being gathered, wh...

In this enlightening episode of iAfrikan BYTES, we sit down with Professor Benjamin Rosman, a leading expert in machine learning and robotics at the University of the Witwatersrand, and the visionary Co-founder of both the Deep Learning Indaba and Lelapa.ai. Delve into the origins and impact off the Indaba, starting from its inaugural event in 2017, and explore the burgeoning AI ecosystem across A...

Embark on an inspiring journey with Dr. Ayoko Korsah as she shares her unfiltered insights on AI, robotics, and education in Ghana. In this candid conversation, we explore her experiences breaking gender barriers, the challenges in Africa education, and the evolving tech landscape. Dr. Ayoko advocates for a holistic approach, introducing AI concepts at the undergraduate level and preparing student...