RAIL KNUST hosts Ghana Data Science Summit 2024 (IndabaXGhana) to promote the Responsible use of AI

The Responsible AI Lab at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (RAIL KNUST) hosted the Ghana Data Science Summit (GDSS) 2024, commemorating the 5th anniversary of IndabaXGhana. Held from 17th to 19th July 2024 at the Great Hall, KNUST, this summit gathered about 600 participants under the theme, “Unleashing the Potential of AI through Grassroots Engagement,” Which focused on empowering individuals and communities with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of AI. Over three days, attendees engaged in inspiring conversations on Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Recalling the history of IndabaXGhana, Mr. Delali Agbenyegah, Senior Data Science Lead at Shopify and Co-Founder of Ghana Data Science Summit, shared the event’s origin. Born from discussions between himself and Dr. Augustine Denteh, the first GDSS IndabaXGhana was held in 2019. Since then, the team has been dedicated to democratising data science literacy and building supportive communities. Over the past five years, they have reached over 1,500 Ghanaians, with over 60% being students, through numerous workshops, keynotes, and hands-on training.

Mr. Agbenyegah highlighted the partnership with RAIL, emphasising the need to build capacity for AI’s ethical and responsible use. He announced the flagship IndabaXGhana mentorship program, designed to engage and train people in hands-on projects, fostering connections with institutions for research and commercialisation.

Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of RAIL, spoke on the critical role of AI in driving the fourth industrial revolution, with the potential to create jobs and transform key sectors of the economy. Prof. Kponyo stressed the importance of strategic planning and envisioning Ghana’s AI future. He also mentioned collaborating with GIZ and the Ministry of Communication to draft a national AI strategy awaiting review and implementation.

Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, emphasised the need to train an AI-ready workforce focusing on ethical AI. She highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement and announced plans for a summer school on AI to build staff capacity.

The “RAIL Biomass Challenge” was launched, showcasing innovative solutions and data-driven strategies within AI. This challenge is in partnership with the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and FAIR FORWARD, GIZ. It seeks to use the plant disease dataset gathered by RAIL through engagement with key stakeholders like the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the local farmers.

As part of RAIL’s objective to train and nurture young and local talent to engage in responsible AI for research and innovation, the summit had students from Juaben Senior High School (SHS), KNUST SHS, St. Louis SHS, Ayeduase Roman Catholic and Good Shepherd Junior High Schools participating.

There were tutorial sessions on deep learning, Python programming, object segmentation, and computer vision for all expertise levels, from beginners to experts. Maxwell Mawube Ahiamadzor, a Research Assistant at RAIL, took some participants through a tutorial on Machine Learning during the tutorial sessions. The summit concluded with closing remarks and an awards ceremony led by Delali Agbenyegah, celebrating the achievements and contributions of participants.