Uganda shines at global AI conference

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Uganda took centre stage during the AI Innovation Movement and Evolution (GAIME) Conference, which was held last week, when a local university was recognised for its innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The two-day conference, which was held at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Thursday and Friday last week, brought together over 2,000 delegates from more than 180 countries.

The students of the International University of East Africa (IUEA), through their AI projects, won international accolades with their AI innovations, the most outstanding of which is the Intelligent Virtual STEM Lab.

This combines Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create a fully immersive science learning environment. At its core, the system uses a network of stand-alone VR headsets synchronised through a teacher dashboard.

Each headset runs a set of interactive simulations that replicate real-world experiments in physics and electronics.

The AI engine observes each student’s performance in real time, detecting variables, such as release height, reaction timing and measurement accuracy and delivers instant voice or text feedback.

Through this technology, IUEA is not only reducing infrastructure costs, but also redefining what a science laboratory can be: intelligent, portable and universally accessible.

With the innovations, the students out-competed over 100 competitors from different universities and other technology participants from all over the globe.

Everyday issues

Ayebare Mucunguzi, the founder of AGX Technologies, demonstrated how locally developed AI models can address everyday issues.

“Products in Africa are inflated in price. AI can help with this; we have built a model that scans thousands of receipts,” Mucunguzi explained.

He further explained how technology could inject transparency and efficiency into African businesses.

Renee Silva, a Microsoft software engineer, echoed these sentiments, emphasising that while technical fundamentals remain critical, AI can drastically accelerate engineering work-flows.

Lamine N’tambi Sanogo, managing director of CERFODES and founder of GAIME, said Africa can no longer afford to remain a bystander in the ongoing technological revolution.

Prof. Emeka Akaezuwa, the IUEA vice-chancellor, emphasised how this initiative is a cornerstone of the National Free AI Skilling Initiative (NFASI), which aims at equipping one million Ugandans with essential AI competencies.

“This strategic effort will propel Uganda toward a future of innovation, digital leadership and global competitiveness,” he said.

The GAIME Conference exemplifies the continent’s ambitions, placing innovation and youth empowerment at the heart of its agenda. Plenary sessions focused on practical tools, ethical governance and strategies to position Africa not just as an AI adopter, but as a shaper of global technology.

Other AI innovations

IUEA has also come up with other AI innovations, which include Sky Harvest Uganda, a project using satellite data and the Skynet blockchain for precision agriculture to help farmers with real-time data on soil health and pests.

The students have also pioneered Pionex Innovation Labs, which is a student-founded initiative that develops Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) solutions, such as VR labs for medical and physics training and AR smart farming apps.

They have also developed the automated Real-Time Text Detection and Audio Translation System, a system aimed at enhancing global communication.

Education institutions hailed

Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance, hailed the education institutions for fronting AI in solving modern-day challenges.

He noted that while the world is advancing in AI, robotics and automation, Africa is held back by infrastructure gaps, minimal funding and a lack of widespread digital literacy.

“We should harness the potential of AI to improve the potential of young lives by having a shared vision to embed technology across sectors from healthcare to agriculture, education and governance,” he said.

The minister called on Ugandans to take an active role in the global conversation on AI, describing it as a powerful driver of financial growth and efficiency across sectors.

“Ugandans should learn how to leverage AI for financial and social advantage. This is where the world is headed, we must not be left behind,” he said.