As the World is evolving, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of everyday language, and the need for its application in various sectors is increasingly becoming visible. Acknowledging this, the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) organized the 5th IndabaX Malawi 2024 Symposium on the application of AI.  

The event, held on 23 and 24 August at the MUBAS main campus in Blantyre, focused on exploring how AI and machine learning can be used to solve practical problems in various sectors of our society and limited to agriculture, finance, health, and communication in Malawi.

The symposium attracted a diverse group of participants, which included academic members of staff, students, researchers, and industry professionals. 

In an interview with the key organizers of the Symposium, Dr. Amelia Taylor said the symposium was organized to share knowledge about the applications of AI in the different sectors of our society.

“We organized the symposium to provide an opportunity for individuals to learn more about AI and machine learning, as well as to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with AI technologies,” Dr. Taylor said. 

She emphasized that the knowledge shared at the symposium was not intended to remain within academic walls but to be applied in real-life situations. 

“We want to transfer this knowledge of AI to students and researchers so that when they go out into the society, they can apply it in real-world situations,” she added.

The Head of ICT at MUBAS, Dr. Anthony Ziba, underscored the importance of bringing together all active researchers, students, and practitioners in the field of AI and machine learning.

“As an institution of higher learning, we believe that we should be at the forefront, paving the way and setting the pace for how these technologies should be utilized,” Dr. Ziba said.

 “AI has a lot of potential, and we can benefit significantly from it. Malawi is a very fertile ground for its application,” he added.

One of the presenters, Christina Chiziwa, addressed the challenges Malawi faces in the health sector, particularly in data management and how machine learning can provide solutions. 

Co-sponsored by Deep Learning Indaba and MUBAS, the event was organized by the Kuyesera AI Lab and the INSPIRE Network at MUBAS. Over 10 institutions of higher learning took part in the event and some of the institutions included the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), the University of Malawi (UNIMA) and the National College of Information Technology (NACIT). 

Additionally, over 18 companies, including the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Sygen, Greencare Waste Solutions, and World Vision International, also took part.