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How AI Can Unlock Opportunities For Africa’s Informal Economy
Saison 2 · Épisode 6
mardi 13 mai 2025 • Durée 33:09
Featuring Maxwell Gomera, Executive Director of UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub & UNDP South Africa Resident Representative.
In this sixth and final episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee speaks with Maxwell Gomera about how artificial intelligence can reshape international development across Africa. From his early work developing bio-economic models for elephant conservation to his current role leading UNDP's sustainable finance initiatives, Maxwell shares his vision for using AI to solve longstanding development challenges. The conversation explores how AI can unlock financial access for the informal sector, create jobs for Africa's growing youth population, and help communities address problems that have persisted for generations. Recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this episode examines how data sovereignty and locally-relevant AI solutions can create a more equitable path forward for the continent.
Key Highlights
🐘 Maxwell's journey from building mathematical models for elephant conservation to leading UNDP Africa's sustainable finance initiatives
💰 Using AI to unlock credit for small businesses in township economies through alternative data and risk assessment
🏬 How the informal sector employs 60% of South Africa's population yet remains financially excluded from traditional banking systems
📊 Building AI datasets that enable financial institutions to better assess creditworthiness of individuals in informal economies
🌐 UNDP's exploration of how pension funds can be mobilized to support African startups and innovation
👩💻 Creating technological jobs across the spectrum - from coding to technical maintenance of data centers
🧠 The importance of empowering Africans to shape AI development on the continent rather than remaining bystanders
🍳 Addressing persistent challenges like cooking energy access that traditional technology has failed to solve
About Our Guest
Maxwell Gomera serves as the UNDP Resident Representative for South Africa and Director for the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub. With over 20 years of experience as a resource economist specializing in nature conservation and agricultural development, he has made significant contributions to economic development initiatives, including being part of the team that developed the 'Global Green New Deal' following the 2008 financial crisis.
In his work at UNDP, Maxwell focuses on how AI can serve as a practical tool for Africa's financial transformation, particularly in using alternative credit data to unlock financing for small businesses traditionally labeled as "too risky" by conventional banking systems. Rather than seeing AI merely as climate technology, he positions it as essential for economic justice and shared prosperity, enabling Africa to transition from resource extraction to becoming creators of sustainable solutions tailored to local realities.
About UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub
The UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub supports countries' efforts to build sustainable finance architectures that advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key achievements include $750 billion aligned and leveraged for the SDGs in 2022-2024, almost US$30 billion of thematic bonds issued with UNDP's support, and over 100 countries supported in sustainable finance initiatives.
The Hub's services include Public Finance for the SDGs, Private Finance for the SDGs, Integrated National Financing, and the SDG Finance Academy, which builds capacity for sustainable finance globally.
Nigeria’s Strategy For The AI Age
Saison 2 · Épisode 5
mardi 29 avril 2025 • Durée 21:51
Featuring Dr. 'Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Federal Republic of Nigeria
In this fifth episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee speaks with Dr. 'Bosun Tijani about Nigeria's approach to artificial intelligence and digital transformation. With his unique background as both a successful tech entrepreneur and government minister, he shares his vision for leveraging AI to drive productivity across key sectors while creating jobs for Nigeria's youthful population. The conversation explores the importance of data sovereignty, the need for African nations to build their own AI capabilities, and how collaborative infrastructure can support continental innovation without compromising national interests. Recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this episode offers insight into how Africa's most populous nation is positioning itself at the forefront of the AI revolution.
Key Highlights:
🚀 How AI can drive productivity across sectors from agriculture to education, creating economic growth and job opportunities
👨💻 The critical importance of moving beyond mobile-first to investing in fiber optic networks and computing infrastructure
🌍 The need for African nations to build their own language models rather than outsourcing their digital realities to others
⚖️ Balancing pan-African collaboration with national sovereignty in AI development
🏢 Creating innovation hubs with shared infrastructure where entrepreneurs can access computing resources and develop solutions
📊 Reimagining regulation as a tool to open opportunities rather than stifle innovation
👥 Nigeria's National AI Trust initiative to engage billionaires and influential leaders in supporting AI development
🔬 The importance of research and development partnerships with nations that have decades of AI expertise
Data Sovereignty & Building Up Africa’s AI Ecosystem
mardi 22 avril 2025 • Durée 29:45
In this fourth episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee speaks with Kate Kallot about building the fundamental data infrastructure needed for Africa's AI revolution. As the founder and CEO of Amini AI, Kallot shares her views on AI as a pivotal technology that can either perpetuate colonial patterns of dependence or become a mechanism for sovereignty and inclusive prosperity in the Global South. Her work focuses on making environmental data accessible and actionable to empower communities at the forefront of climate change while building local AI capacity. Recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Key Highlights:
🔄 Amini AI's approach to collecting, structuring, and fusing diverse data sources for actionable insights
🌍 Kate's mission to create an equitable, African-made AI ecosystem to prevent digital colonialism
🛰️ The power of data when combined with ground-level information to create incredible insights
📊 The urgency of data sovereignty, with only 2% of African data currently processed on the continent
🧩 Breaking data silos between government ministries and organizations
👩💻 Why women don't need technical backgrounds to succeed in AI, drawing from Kate's own journey from political science to tech
⚖️ The challenges entrepreneurs face with cross-border business, IP registration, and taxation across African markets
🔬 How Amini focuses on useful, contextually relevant AI rather than chasing the latest architectural innovations
About Our Guest:
Kate Kallot is the Founder and CEO of Amini, a Nairobi-based startup building data infrastructure for Africa and the Global South to regenerate natural capital at scale. Named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI in 2023 and a Young World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2024, she currently serves as Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Global Environmental and Energy Commission and is a member of EY's Global AI Advisory Council.
Inside Rwanda's AI Blueprint
Saison 2 · Épisode 3
mardi 15 avril 2025 • Durée 19:30
In this third episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee speaks with Hon. Paula Ingabire about Rwanda's strategic approach to artificial intelligence. As the Minister of ICT and Innovation, Ingabire shares insights on how Rwanda is positioning itself as a leader in Africa's AI landscape, focusing on talent development, investment attraction, and ethical frameworks. The conversation explores Rwanda's partnerships with educational institutions, the launch of their AI scaling hub, and how the country is addressing the urban-rural divide through technology. Recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this episode offers a glimpse into Rwanda's vision for becoming a testing ground for AI solutions tailored to African contexts.
Key Highlights:
🌍 Rwanda's approach to leading Africa's AI development through strategic partnerships and collaborations
🎓 Building talent through programs like Carnegie Mellon University, Africa Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and the Coding Academy for 13-year-olds
💰 The launch of the AI scaling hub with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support proven AI solutions
🔍 Rwanda's ethical framework emphasizing transparency, privacy, and cultural context in AI development
🏘️ How Rwanda is using AI to bridge the urban-rural divide, particularly in healthcare delivery
👩💻 The importance of women not just using AI solutions but leading in their design and implementation
🚀 The role of local startups in ensuring cultural context and nuances are incorporated into AI solutions
About Our Guest:
Hon. Paula Ingabire serves as the Minister of ICT and Innovation in the Government of Rwanda, where she champions the country's digital transformation strategy. Before her ministerial appointment, she headed the ICT Business Development Department at the Rwanda Development Board, leading the implementation of national programs in eGovernment and Cyber Security. She coordinated the Kigali Innovation City Project, designed to strengthen a pan-African innovation ecosystem in Rwanda, and was instrumental in creating Smart Africa, an initiative leveraging broadband infrastructure for Africa's socio-economic growth.
Language AI as Critical Infrastructure for Africa's Digital Sovereignty
Saison 2 · Épisode 2
lundi 7 avril 2025 • Durée 29:02
Featuring Prof. Vukosi Marivate, Professor of Computer Science & Co-founder of Lelapa AI
In this second episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee speaks with Prof. Vukosi Marivate about the critical role of language in creating AI systems that serve African communities authentically. As a leading figure in machine learning and natural language processing in Africa, Prof. Marivate shares insights on developing AI for low-resource languages, preserving cultural context, and ensuring ethical approaches to data collection. The conversation explores how grassroots initiatives like Masakhane Research Foundation and companies like Lelapa AI are working to ensure African languages aren't left behind in the AI revolution. Produced in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa from April 3rd-4th, 2025.
Key Highlights:
🔍 The challenge of building AI that understands cultural nuances and local language variations
🗣️ Creating datasets for low-resource African languages through community engagement and ethical data collection
🌍 How language models must reflect cultural contexts to serve areas like healthcare and education effectively
🤖 The release of "Lelapa LLM" - the first language model specifically built for African languages
💼 Why entrepreneurs need to engage with each other to strengthen the African AI ecosystem
⚖️ Ethical considerations and data sovereignty in AI development across the continent
💡 The critical gap in R&D investment on the continent compared to global standards
🔄 Building models from scratch to maintain control rather than relying on constantly changing Western models
About Our Guest:
Prof. Vukosi Marivate is a Professor of Computer Science and holds the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science at the University of Pretoria. He specializes in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence with a focus on Natural Language Processing. As the co-founder of Lelapa AI, a socially-grounded, Africa-centric AI research and product lab, he works to create "AI for Africans by Africans." Prof. Marivate also leads the Data Science for Social Impact research group at the University of Pretoria and is a chief investigator for the Masakhane Research Foundation, which develops NLP technologies for African languages. His work spans from building language models that preserve linguistic diversity to creating ethical frameworks for AI development in African contexts.
Beyond the Classroom: How AI is Reshaping African Education
Saison 2 · Épisode 1
vendredi 4 avril 2025 • Durée 39:40
Featuring Tonee Ndungu, Founder of Kytabu.
In this first episode of a special series of the Embedded podcast, host Zain Verjee sits down with Tonee Ndungu, a pioneering EdTech entrepreneur who is transforming education across Africa through AI-powered learning tools. From his personal journey with dyslexia to founding Kytabu, Tonee shares insights on how AI is reshaping education on the continent and creating opportunities for millions of students. The conversation explores the development of wearable AI assistants for both students and teachers, strategies for building African language models, and how entrepreneurs can leverage AI to build billion-dollar businesses from the continent despite infrastructure challenges. Produced in partnership with The Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial and recorded at the Global AI Summit on Africa from April 3rd -4th, 2025.
Key Highlights:
🧠 How Tonee's experience with dyslexia and ADHD inspired his educational innovations
🎧 The pivotal moment when technology (a Sony Walkman) transformed his learning journey
🤖 Kytabu's AI-powered tools: Somanasi (AI tutor for students) and Hodari (AI assistant for teachers)
👓 The development of wearable AI devices for education that doesn't require constant internet connectivity
🌍 Strategies for creating African language models and addressing cultural context in AI
💡 The 3 requirements for building African language models: recorded voices, contextualization, and scale
🔍 Ethical considerations in AI adoption for education in Africa
🚀 How the changing AI landscape creates opportunities for African entrepreneurs
About Our Guest:
Tonee Ndungu is a pioneering entrepreneur in the EdTech space with over 18 years of experience. As the founder of Kytabu (meaning "book" in Swahili), he has dedicated his career to transforming education across Africa. Drawing from his personal experiences with dyslexia, Tonee developed innovative learning solutions that adapt to different learning styles. Prior to Kytabu, he helped establish the foundation for Kenya's tech ecosystem, contributing to what became known as the "Silicon Savannah." His current focus is integrating AI technology into education to empower both teachers and students across the continent.
Compassionate Storytelling & Using AI to Preserve Cultural Narratives
Saison 1 · Épisode 8
jeudi 27 mars 2025 • Durée 38:59
In this episode of Embedded, host Zain Verjee explores the intersection of AI, immersive media, and authentic cultural storytelling with pioneering director Michaela Ternasky-Holland. As one of the first directors to work with OpenAI's Sora platform, Michaela shares her journey from Disney performer to Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, and how she uses emerging technologies to preserve cultural narratives while avoiding exploitation. The conversation delves into her concept of "compassionate storytelling," the technical aspects of working with generative AI, and how these tools can be used to reclaim cultural histories that have been erased or forgotten. From her work with Philippine mythology to practical prompt engineering techniques, Michaela offers valuable insights for creators in emerging markets looking to harness AI for authentic storytelling.
Key Highlights
🎬 Michaela's unique journey from Disney Cruise Line performer to pioneering AI filmmaker
💡 Using generative AI to visualize lost cultural histories and narratives
🤖 The shift from directing to curating when working with AI-generated content
🎭 Practical prompt engineering techniques for filmmakers
🌍 The three pillars of "compassionate storytelling" and its ethical framework
👩💻 Why women are 25% less likely to use generative AI tools
🔄 Finding the balance between technology and human creativity
🧩 Using smaller, focused AI models for specific cultural contexts
Featured Projects & Insights
Creating "Thank you, mom" with OpenAI's Sora in just three weeks
Using stable diffusion to visualize Filipino Americans in historical contexts that weren't documented
Developing a paper craft style that acknowledged the AI-generated nature of the content
Building AI prompts from simple to complex rather than starting with technical details
Africa's AI Roadmap: Sovereignty, Strategy & Building Local Solutions
Saison 1 · Épisode 7
jeudi 27 février 2025 • Durée 28:45
In this episode of Embedded, host Zain Verjee speaks with Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo, a Governance Studies Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation. As a computer science expert specializing in the impact of AI on the Global South, Dr. Okolo shares her experience consulting with the African Union on their Artificial Intelligence Continental Strategy. The conversation explores the unique challenges Africa faces with AI adoption, the importance of data sovereignty, tackling misinformation, and building AI systems that truly represent African values and contexts. From healthcare applications to language models, Dr. Okolo offers insights on how Africa can chart its own course in AI development while addressing persistent issues of bias and representation.
Key Highlights
🌍 African Union's Continental AI Strategy development and implementation challenges
💡 The case for building smaller, domain-specific AI models suited to African contexts
🔐 Data sovereignty issues and the need for robust data protection frameworks
🏥 AI applications in healthcare and the importance of human relationships
🔄 Addressing bias and ensuring proper representation of African cultures in AI
⚖️ The role of regulation and fact-checking in combating AI-generated misinformation
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and welcome
00:53 - Unique AI challenges in Africa
03:10 - The African Union AI Continental Strategy experience
05:00 - Human capital development in AI
07:15 - Implementation challenges and governance issues
09:30 - International partnerships and diaspora contributions
10:44 - AI applications in healthcare and frontline workers
Democratizing AI: A Recipe for AI-Powered Growth & Entrepreneurship
Saison 1 · Épisode 6
jeudi 13 février 2025 • Durée 32:12
In this episode of Embedded, host Zain Verjee explores how generative AI can empower entrepreneurs in emerging markets to scale smarter, faster, and more inclusively. Prof. Rembrand Koning shares insights from his groundbreaking work at Harvard's Tech for All Lab, where they're studying how entrepreneurs can harness AI to benefit humanity. From WhatsApp-integrated AI advisors to partnerships in Southeast Asia, discover how AI could democratize access to business mentorship and transform entrepreneurship in emerging markets.
Key Highlights
🚀 Women are 25% less likely than men to use AI tools globally
💡 Tech for All Lab's innovative WhatsApp integration for AI business advice
📱 Grab partnership reaching millions of small businesses in Southeast Asia
🌍 Focus on making AI accessible through existing platforms and interfaces
🤝 The power of human + AI combinations in business mentorship
🔍 Research-backed approach to measuring AI's real economic impact
Episode Timestamps
00:06 - Introduction and welcome
01:30 - Tech for All Lab's mission and focus
02:10 - Importance of research in AI development
04:40 - Gender gap in AI adoption
05:33 - Tool design and accessibility
10:00 - The Grab partnership
17:17 - Surprising findings from research
21:29 - Human + AI combination
24:37 - Local context and language
28:49 - Final advice for entrepreneurs
Key Quotes
"We're going to see $1 billion companies run by one person, and my bet is that one person is not going to be in San Francisco, that one person is going to be in Nairobi or Jakarta."
Lost in Translation: Building AI for Africa's Languages.
Saison 1 · Épisode 5
jeudi 16 janvier 2025 • Durée 28:30
In this episode of Embedded, host Zain Verjee speaks with Asme Teka Hadgu, co-founder and CTO of Lesan AI, about the critical challenge of language accessibility in artificial intelligence. Based in Berlin, Lesan AI is pioneering machine translation for Ethiopian languages, notably outperforming tech giants in Amharic and Tigrinya translations. Asme discusses their unique approach to data collection, working directly with communities to preserve linguistic authenticity, and the broader implications of language barriers in AI development. The conversation explores how AI can be leveraged to preserve and revitalize languages while ensuring ethical development and cultural preservation.
Key Highlights
🌍 Lesan AI's innovative approach to machine translation for African languages
📊 Over 9 million translations completed for Ethiopian languages
🤖 Limitations of current AI models like ChatGPT for African languages
👥 Community-centered approach to data collection
🔐 Ethical considerations in language technology development
🌿 Preservation of cultural context and linguistic nuance
Episode Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and welcome
01:20 - Personal Journey and Mission
02:51 - Language Barriers in AI
04:51 - Lesan AI's Approach
09:16 - Speech Recognition Project
13:26 - Technology Access Challenges
16:19 - Language Models Discussion
18:05 - AI Language Limitations
20:19 - Data Privacy and Ethics
24:43 - Bias Prevention and Cultural Context
About Our Guest:
Dr. 'Bosun Tijani is the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Dr. Tijani advocates for a distributed approach to AI development in Africa, emphasizing that the continent must invest in connected ecosystems with diverse innovation hubs rather than centralized control. He sees AI as fundamentally different for Africa compared to the Global North - African countries view AI primarily as a tool for economic growth, productivity enhancement, and job creation.
He champions linguistic diversity in AI and has spearheaded Nigeria's development of a multimodal, multi-language large language model covering multiple Nigerian languages, asserting that AI must reflect local cultures and languages to be truly beneficial. His vision centers on building sovereign AI capabilities while maintaining collaborative networks across the continent.
Prior to his ministerial appointment, he co-founded and led Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), Africa's leading innovation center with presence in Nigeria, Kenya, and Rwanda. Since its launch over a decade ago, CcHUB has become the home for more than 50 Nigerian start-ups, including among others BudgIT, Wecyclers, Lifebank, GoMyWay, Vacantboards, and Autobox. In 2021, he was recognized and honoured with the Global icon of African excellence Award by the New African Magazine, which is the oldest and definitive annual listing of Africa’s most influential people.
Before founding Amini in 2022, Kate held leadership positions at global tech companies including NVIDIA, where she led global developer relations and expansion into emerging markets, and Arm, where she was instrumental in the Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) movement. At Intel, she led the development of the world's first AI development kit in a USB form factor, the Neural Compute Stick, bringing computer vision and AI to IoT and edge devices for millions of users.
About Amini AI:
Operating in over 25 countries with 2.5TB of training data and analysis of 80 billion hectares of land, Amini provides insights that help farmers understand soil health, crop conditions, potential disease outbreaks, weather forecasts, and yield predictions. The company works with a network of data partners in a revenue-sharing model that returns value to communities while breaking down data silos across organizations and governments.
Minister Ingabire is a thoughtful advocate for responsible AI development in Africa. Under her leadership, Rwanda launched its National AI Policy in 2023, focusing on "creating critical building blocks for AI integration while mitigating associated risks." The policy takes a practical, sector-specific approach, identifying areas with the highest economic impact potential, including agriculture, public administration, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services.
Her approach to AI governance is distinctive in that Rwanda is not only creating regulatory frameworks but actively experimenting with AI applications in the public sector. As she explained, "We want to be able to lead the way. We can't only put on a hat of regulations and policymaking. We also want to be able to experiment with the potential of AI across different fields."
Embedded is a production of The Rundown Studio. For more insights on AI's impact on emerging markets, visit www.therundown.studio
Using consistent visual elements (like color) to maintain character identity in AI-generated scenes
The importance of collaborative teams when working with emerging technologies
About Our Guest
Michaela Ternasky-Holland is an Emmy Award-winning and Peabody-nominated director who has pioneered the use of AI and immersive storytelling. She was one of the first directors to work with OpenAI's Sora platform, and her work has been recognized at major festivals including Tribeca, the Venice International Film Festival, and South by Southwest. With a background that spans from Disney performance to virtual reality and AI filmmaking, Michaela brings a unique perspective on using technology for authentic cultural storytelling. She developed the concept of "compassionate storytelling" as an ethical framework for creating content that honors both collaborators and audiences.
Embedded is a production of The Rundown Studio. For more insights on AI's impact on emerging markets, visit www.therundown.studio
12:27 - Addressing racial and cultural bias in AI
15:00 - Building authentic African datasets
17:00 - Small vs. large language models for African contexts
20:00 - Data nationalism and protection strategies
22:10 - Combating misinformation and disinformation
23:50 - Fact-checking organizations and initiatives
25:00 - Digital literacy and AI education
26:10 - Advice for communications specialists
About Our Guest
Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo is a Governance Studies Fellow at the Brookings Institution in the Center for Technology Innovation. Her expertise spans computer science with a focus on AI's impact in the Global South. As a Consulting Expert with the African Union, she contributed to the development of the AU-AI Continental Strategy, which aims to promote responsible AI adoption, development, and governance across African Union member states. Dr. Okolo also serves as an Ethics Advisor to the Equiano Institute, a research lab focused on steering safe and trustworthy AI in Africa. Her research examines the intersection of healthcare, AI ethics, and governance in emerging economies.
Embedded is a production of The Rundown Studio. For more insights on AI's impact on emerging markets, visit www.therundown.studio
"People + AI, that is the magic sauce... What we're really going to want is both the AI and then the person who's giving them that scaffolding to really get the most out of these tools."
"We know mentorship and advice and learning from others can make such a difference. Finally, we have the technology to democratize it."
"You're going to see all sorts of really exciting new businesses in these places that are going to transform economies and transform lives."
About Our Guest
Rembrand Koning is the Mary V. and Mark A. Stevens Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. As Co-Director and Co-Founder of The Tech for All Lab at Harvard's Digital, Data, and Design (D^3) Institute, he leads research on how entrepreneurs can harness AI to benefit humanity.
Asme Teka Hadgu is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Lesan AI, a Berlin-based startup revolutionizing machine translation for Ethiopian languages. With a background in computer science and a deep commitment to education, Asme leads the development of translation tools that outperform major tech companies in Amharic and Tigrinya translations.
