Gitex Africa: Start-ups carving their way into the global AI economy

Africa's largest tech fair and start up show ended on Friday (May 31). Some 1,500 exhibitors, companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups from over 130 countries were set attended.

The event's second edition was being held in Marrakech.

Moroccan start-up Yola Fresh is shaping the country's fresh produce industry.

It uses artificial intelligence to optimize every stage, from cultivation to consumption.

"We have a lot of data at our disposal, data on the consumers, on our retailers, they are the people who regularly buy our products. We use algorithms to predict the volumes that will be consumed by these retailers," the start-up's co-founder Larbi Alaoui Belrhiti explained.

"We also have to pay attention to factors that are external to our supply chain, such as the market price or the weather. All these factors will have an impact on prices and will consequently impact supply and demand”.

Just like agritech, robotics is another leading sector that will shape tomorrow's global economy.

Senegalese start-up Caytu has harnessed the possibilities that AI offers in this sector.

"Our partnership with the US-based Brigham Young University has enabled us to test out the product we developed," Sidy Ndao said.

"Through this partnership, robots designed in Senegal were deployed to the United States and could still interact with operators based in Senegal who control these robots and offer a remote service.”

The slow democratization of artificial intelligence and its multiple applications is arousing growing interest across the continent. It could contribute to better resource management, stimulating economic growth and opening new market opportunities.