- The recently released UNCTAD Technology and Innovation Report 2021 has pointed out that northern America and European economies are the most ready for the rapidly changing technologies, while those least ready are in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions.
- Kenya is ranked seventh in sub-Saharan Africa and 105 globally trailing South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Gabon, Cape Verde and Ghana.
The recently released UNCTAD Technology and Innovation Report 2021 has pointed out that northern America and European economies are the most ready for the rapidly changing technologies, while those least ready are in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions. These countries that are trailing behind in the uptake and use of the latest technologies may face the risk of deepening inequalities, the report cautioned.
The report surveyed 158 countries and assessed the progress made on frontier technologies; the use and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), super-fast Internet connectivity (5G), the Internet of things, big data, block chain, 3D printing, robotics, drones, gene editing, nanotechnology and solar photovoltaic and so on.
Kenya is ranked seventh in sub-Saharan Africa and 105 globally trailing South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Gabon, Cape Verde and Ghana. Uganda is placed at 128, Rwanda 133, Tanzania and Burundi at 138th and 145th respectively.
Paul Omeno, East Africa regional co-ordinator of Dr Artificial Intelligence (DrAI), a company dealing with data mining said Kenya has been considered as the epitome of technology in East Africa, and scores six out of 10 by Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index 2019, because of its good telecommunication infrastructure.
