AO: This quote (see copy-pasted below) states that IBM (Research) believed that "many of the hardest problems in our world today, particularly in Africa, are problems of information." The speaker...Read more
This research agenda is driven by profit and economic interests although the articulated narrative is about "solving Africa's grand challenges" which he states are "well-known." But then as he...Read more
This quote (copy-pasted below) details why IBM decided not to use the name "Watson" which is how they have branded their super-computer around the world but when they bring the technology to...Read more
This quote (copy-pasted below) argues that a technology solution like "Lucy" will help to understand cross-domain relationships. I think this is one of the most common benefits touted of...Read more
In the entire 20+ minute presentation, indigenous knowledge is not mentioned until the last minute of closing when the speaker throws in cognitive computing... that "takes into account...Read more
The opening (copy-pasted below) from this IBM Research keynote talk by the CTO of Watson outlined why IBM has an optimistic view for "Africa" - because of projected growth in labor and...Read more
0:02 CTO, IBM Watson We're very glad to be here in Africa. As you know, late last year, we opened our 4th research lab in IBM, here in Africa. And Africa represents to us an incredible, very exciting set of opportunities. And that's for many reasons, okay, not the least of which is the African...Read more
Qualitative data is not distinguished explicitly here as such. The speaker focuses rather on the data's format (e.g. textual, sensor data, etc). The way it is described, it sounds like all data...Read more
This quote (see copy-pasted below) articulates why using machine learning is more robust... because "if you torture the data, for long enough, you can get it to confess to almost anything."...Read more
Most of the speaker's presentation is focused on the "technical" aspects of cognitive computing then he mentions "indigenous knowledge" in his last few minutes of closing (stating that there...Read more
AO: This MIT Technology Review post describes the machine learning community on the continent and places companies like IBM front and center of these "blossoming" communities. There is an important critical labor and tech training component to be unpacked here.
The article quotes...Read more