Technology is only as inclusive as the languages it understands. For many years, several African languages have remained underrepresented in the datasets that power artificial intelligence systems. This gap has real consequences. Voice technologies fail to recognize local accents, translation tools overlook indigenous languages, and entire communities are excluded from the digital economy. Through deliberate research and innovation, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is helping to change that narrative.

The Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ participated in the Nairobi AI Forum 2026, held on 9th–10th February 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum was co-hosted by the Government of Kenya, the Government of Italy, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with international development agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, and innovation hubs.

In an era where technology is rapidly reshaping human interaction, a critical question emerges: Will the digital future include the rich tapestry of African languages? At ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, we are not just asking the question we are actively building the answer.

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ proudly participated in the Deep Learning Indaba 2025, held at the University of Rwanda s Kigali Convention and Exhibition Hub from 17th to 22nd August 2025. This prestigious event, themed Strengthening African AI: Urunana Hand in Hand for AI in Africa, brought together leading researchers, academics, innovators, industry experts, and students from across the continent and beyond to share knowledge and shape the future of Artificial Intelligence in Africa.

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is excited to partner with the University of Nairobi and the University of California, San Francisco, to offer a groundbreaking opportunity for final-year female STEM students. The ENGAGE Program, which aims to empower women through data science, is back with an incredible chance for young women to immerse themselves in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ had the distinct privilege of participating in the Data Science Africa (DSA) 2025 workshop and conference, held at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, from June 2 to 6, 2025. This prestigious event brought together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students from across Africa and beyond, united by a shared goal of advancing data science and artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainable development on the continent. The conference was supported by globally recognized institutions and industry leaders, including Google, DeepMind, ARM, Edge Impulse, AI4D Africa, IDRC/CRDI, and IEEE, among others.

AI Everything Global 2025, a prestigious event held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE, from February 4th to 6th, brought together leading AI experts, innovators, and organizations from across the globe. The event served as a dynamic platform for exploring the latest advancements and applications of AI in diverse sectors, featuring over 500 exhibitors, 150 investors, 500 Chief AI Officers, and 200 speakers from more than 70 countries. Prominent figures such as H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the President for Strategic Research & Advanced Technology Affairs, and H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications, played key roles in shaping the discussions.

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ is proud to be collaborating with Maseno University and other Kenyan institutions in the AFRICA NEXT VOICES project, a one-year pilot initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project is focused on preserving local languages through data collection, led by the KenCorpus consortium, a coalition of Kenyan universities. The aim is to create a digital corpus for five key languages spoken in Kenya: Dholuo, Gikuyu, Somali, Kalenjin (Nandi/Kipsigis dialects), and Maasai.

The inaugural data science and artificial intelligence (DS&AI) conference 2023 came to a close on 3^rd February 2023. The 3 day event attracted 275 unique participants representing 51+ different professionals from over 87 organizations across the world. A total of 26 presentations provided great content for a very lively academic discourse in 7 presentation sessions.