\n<\/p>\n
AI-driven data consumption in Africa will quintuple in five years\u2019 time, predicted the CEO of Helios Towers, one of the continent\u2019s largest telecoms infrastructure companies, saying the continent was on \u201cthe cusp of a real data boom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing that in our business already at the micro-level,\u201d said Tom Greenwood, speaking at Semafor\u2019s The Next 3 Billion summit on Wednesday, adding that he expected Africa to \u201creally accelerate on AI.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf companies and governments harness [AI] in the right way, they\u2019ll get a huge amount out of it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Vivek Badrinath, director general of the GSMA global telecoms industry body, also highlighted the opportunities offered by advances in AI, including in the development of local content and translations to drive new mobile connections. More than 75% of sub-Saharan Africa\u2019s population is not connected to mobile internet, according to GSMA.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a movement toward putting training models in local languages, with the local culture,\u201d Badrinath said.<\/p>\n
He further pointed to the growing development of AI apps in sectors including health care and agriculture. \u201cThese are useful things that make the business case for someone to get a phone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n