⁃In Economic Development
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
Over the weekend, the Internet Society Liberia Chapter concluded a three-day multi-stakeholders interactive capacity-building symposium on the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on economic development in Liberia.
Out of one hundred thirty participants in the Internet Society Liberia Chapter just ended capacity building held under the theme “The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in economic development,” females top the graduating class.
Out of the 130 participants who received certificates, 70 were females while 60 were male, something which shows that females no longer see the profession as a no-go-zone or male-dominated field.
The Internet Society Liberia Chapter has been working with the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MOPT), PRIDA, AUC, and other stakeholders to provide training in various areas of ICT since its foundation in 2009 as a charter of the Internet Society. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world, but many individuals lack a basic understanding of how Al works and its potential impact on their lives.
Meanwhile, the training proposes a series of interactive workshops to demystify Al for community members. Also, through hands-on activities and discussions, participants will gain foundational knowledge of Al concepts and explore their applications in various sectors.
Furthermore, by fostering a more informed and engaged community, the Internet Society Liberia Chapter aims to empower individuals to navigate the evolving landscape of Al responsibly and leverage its benefits for positive change.
Other objectives include empowering youth, enabling them to be aware of using artificial Intelligence for economic development and to educate on the growth of disruptive technologies, as well as the economic and social challenges they pose for most people in their online lives and answering novel questions about how they govern digital technologies encouraging institutionalization.
The project seeks to conduct the campaign in partnership with stakeholders and other civil society organizations regarding Al, create a message for safer cyberspace with the use of Al, and encourage more youth involvement in the use of Al technology.
The workshop, which takes place from October 16-18, 2024, had two sessions, namely hybrid and in-person. The hybrid session brings together youth as Participants from various high schools, universities, government institutions, SME businesses, Journalists, civil society, and non-profit organizations to discuss the most important issues facing the digital world.
However, the Zoom conference lasted from October 16-17 online via Zoom webinar, while the face-to-face session was held at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia on October 18, 2024. The workshop aimed at sharing best practices and building capacity for youth in a diversity of sectors in Liberia. The symposium was held under the theme: “The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Economic Development” to offer an intensive learning progression of experience covering a wide range of topics on artificial intelligence.
There will also be representation from various youth groups such as university students, high school students, government ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, and youth organizations. The facilitators are sourced from local and international.
The project aims to increase the capacity of youthful actors and potential actors in the local internet governance space to apply Artificial Intelligence tools to increase economic development.
Furthermore, the training aims to get participants to understand the impact of AI and increase the mass of youth contributing to solving problems through the use of Al in making internet-related policymaking in Liberia and globally.
Also, it aims to equip participants with skills to participate in AI discussions and for effective learning, provide networking opportunities for different stakeholders, and provide actors involved in the development and application of AI with feedback on emerging issues.
Providing the welcoming remark and a brief overview of the program, Matthew T. Roberts, President of the Internet Society Liberia Chapter, expressed appreciation and gratitude to the participants for honoring the training, adding that their presence over the few days of learning demonstrates a journey to impact. He told the participants that technology is now the moving force of the world and human beings can’t go without it therefore, they are lining up in the current age and don’t know how to use the internet as an embarrassment.
‘’With technology, we are talking about the fifth generation. This is the period of IT. AI is now moving, instructing devices to perform human tasks. AI is like moving the world crazy. Now, our role is to brainwash you, provide the awareness and get you to know how you are going there and also hold you responsible for whatever actions you will take,’’ Mr. Roberts added.
Mr. Roberts explained that in providing them with the education, they will be told about both the positive and negative, which will be left with them to choose. ‘’We will also tell you about how you build your career path. The Internet Society site is free for everyone to go there, and it has several free courses. Just applied, some will be done online through a portal, while others call for in person. Join us, and your voices will be heard.” Mr. Roberts inspired.
According to him, they focused on strengthening the capacity of the youths because they are the ones who will remain to ensure that the world experiences the impact of ICT in development.
“We believe that the internet is for everyone, and we also want people to be safe online. We have been working with governments across the globe to see how we can protect our internet ecosystem. We want to connect the unconnected. We want to make sure they are protected, especially their privacy, through encryption. We have pushed for encryption, and in that, everyone who uses the internet should be able to grow it, put their content, and be safe while using it.” Mr. Roberts added.
He further indicated that their campaign has been calling for a policy that will make the internet stand and be vibrant and accessible by everyone without interference. Therefore, those who want to learn about programming, system engineering, and software are provided the education to venture into the path of ICT. Remarking on behalf of the Board Members of the Internet Society Liberia Chapter, Sangai P. M Wolapaye described the gathering as a place where they developed while urging participants, especially females, to take the lectures and presentations seriously.
According to her, it’s a community service where they are open to educating the younger generation to be a member of the ICT community so that they can do better in the future. “I feel so happy this morning seeing a lot of females in this room. This has been one of my champions in encouraging females to enter the field of ICT. It’s not a no-go zone. Some of us started from the area where ICT was not even our first career path. However, with the level of intelligence I have seen in the young people these days, I know you people will do far better than where you see some of us today.” she noted.
She added that during the virtual session, women participants have been taking charge, asking the hard questions therefore, she believes that they are willing to change the narrative from a male-dominated field to everyone’s profession. ‘’I want you to see yourself as part of the process and take the challenge to impact the world through the advancement of ICT,’’ she concluded.
