2024 has been a remarkable year for Tech Innovators Network, filled with groundbreaking achievements and exciting developments.
February Highlight
In February, we celebrated the official launch of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner #LindaData chatbot. One of the first ChatBots of such functionalities in the context of global data protection.
We co-created this project with the ODPC team by placing Kenyan citizens as the core focus of all the functionalities. It significantly represents what genuinely collaborative and citizen-driven #responsibleai looks like.
After the launch event, we transitioned into a season of engaging, impactful and highly interactive Botathon events.
Botathon Events in Kisii, Embu and Juja.
Central to the theme of community is our active engagement with students from Kisii University, Embu University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. We enjoyed the eager students’ energy to learn, create, and collaborate.
At these Botathons, we discuss pertinent topics such as the transformational power of technology and explore community as a valid application and outcome of technology. We can work together to create success.
Some relevant Botathon topics.
Use of #ResponsibleAi
Natural Language processing
Machine Learning
In March, we renewed a focus on Public Service delivery and held our very first and highly anticipated Community Demo Day.
AI as a tool for Public Service Delivery
Brian Omwenga participated in using AI as a tool for public service delivery. He presented our extensive work on the ODPC chatbot alongside representatives of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, German Co-operation, GIZ, Maseno University, and Safaricom. The culmination of the month was the community demo day on March 19th, during which we launched and presented several products to the technology community.
March 19th Community Demo Day
At the community demo day, we were thrilled to present our Smart Speaker hardware and our THiNK IT digital assistant software. The reception and support from our community members were not just inspirational but also a testament to the importance of our work. We sincerely appreciate your continued support.
In April, we conducted an online Community of Practice Event with Mutembei Kariuki of Fastagger to review the AI Code of Practice. Kindly subscribe to our ever-growing community here:
Award Nomination
We were humbled to be nominated as finalists in the Connected Africa Summit competition for Start-Ups in the Smart Cities category.
UK-Kenya Partnership on Emerging Technologies
Mid-year, Brian Omwenga, our Tech Lead, participated in an impactful, collaborative and immensely educational trip to the UK as part of a partnership between the ACTS and the Alan Turing Institute (ATI) in conjunction with UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UK. This follows the creation of the UK Technical Centre of Expertise (Tech CoE), which sets out the UK’s ambitions for driving the future of innovation and technology, guided by four principles – to be open, responsible, secure and resilient.
Research Achievements
Later in the year, we contributed to the vital activity of knowledge production and innovation. A member of our Natural Language Processing Team (NLP) team at THiNK, Nick Mumero collaborated with other fellow experts and completed and published groundbreaking research on multi-agent AI systems!
At THiNK, we are dedicated to translating state-of-the-art research into practical solutions. This effort perfectly aligns with THiNK’s goal of fostering innovation and assisting small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation journeys.
Key Points to note:
- Agents’ opinions evolve through deliberation and are influenced by sentiment.
- The team quantified changes in opinions and identified cognitive biases in AI systems.
- Different decision protocols lead to different collective outcomes.
This breakthrough has exciting implications for enhancing our THiNKiT Smart Speaker Platform and supporting complex decision-making tasks across various industries.
A member of our NLP team at THiNK, Nick Mumero has collaborated with other fellow experts and completed and published groundbreaking research on multi-agent AI systems! At THiNK, we are dedicated to translating state-of-the-art research into practical solutions. This effort perfectly aligns with THiNK’s goal to foster innovation and assist small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation journey.
Key Points to note:
- Agents’ opinions evolve through deliberation and are influenced by sentiment.
- The team quantified changes in opinions and identified cognitive biases in AI systems.
- Different decision protocols lead to different collective outcomes.
This breakthrough has exciting implications for enhancing our THiNKiT Smart Speaker Platform and supporting complex decision-making tasks across various industries.
Book Update: “Consolidating the African Continental Free Trade Area: Portrait of a Common Market.“
A diverse, seasoned, and well-experienced team of development experts, economists, technologists, computer scientists, and research scholars, including Martin Mbaya, Robert Mudida, and Brian Omwenga of THiNK, contributed to the book “Consolidating the African Continental Free Trade Area: Portrait of a Common Market.“ The prolific book, edited by Francis Mangeni and Professor Seth Omondi Gor, aptly summarises the progress and challenges of the AfCFTA, emphasising the need for sustained political will and active engagement from stakeholders.
In conclusion, digitalization’s transformative power is a crucial driver of development and opportunity across all sectors. It equips societies to navigate change, seize new prospects, and realise a brighter future—an imperative as we work toward collective aspirations like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
You can purchase the book in the link provided.
We enjoyed a prolific and captivating year, which would not have been possible without your community collaboration and partnership. We are thankful for your support.
God bless you all.
