IBM has developed a 10-year cognitive computing business model, which will provide data to help solve problems in areas such as healthcare, food, sanitation, power among others in Africa
The business model named 'Project Lucy & Africa in the New Era of Computing' will explore cognitive computing in Africa.
This project will be developed in Nairobi, and is similar to IBM's Project Watson- an artificial intelligence-based research program that was developed in 2011.
Robber Morris, vice president of Global Labs, IBM research, said, ”Project Lucy is an approach by IBM to achieve digital technology that will do away with paperwork and focus on solution data that will address key challenges in Africa.”
The company stated that a lack of access to enough information is one of the continent's biggest drawbacks.
By building the cognitive hub in Kenya, computer networks will be connected to a cloud and people will be able to download information on education, health and others sectors of the African economy.
Africans will be able to use their mobile phones to ask relevant questions on health and other areas of interest to human endeavour and receive instant answers through the phone, added IBM.
Rob High, chief technical officer of the Watson initiative, added, ”The Lucy project is akin to the Watson initiative. A lot of data had been developed and used in addressing global challenges, which is exactly what IBM wants to achieve in Africa, through Project Lucy.”
