Stemaide, a Ghana-based technology firm founded in 2022, is making waves with its mission to equip young Africans with essential science and technology skills. Under the leadership of CEO Prince Boateng Asare, the company has developed a groundbreaking science kit designed to function seamlessly in areas without internet access. This innovation aims to bridge the digital divide and prepare the continent’s youth for future job markets. As part of a six-part series on African technology, Stemaide’s initiative highlights the transformative potential of localized technological solutions. By focusing on accessibility and education, the firm is paving the way for a more inclusive and technologically adept Africa.
分类: technology
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The Indian Business & Professional Group (IBPG) sparks pivotal conversation on AI’s future
The Indian Business & Professional Group (IBPG) in Abu Dhabi recently hosted a groundbreaking event titled ‘AI – Friend, Foe, or Future?’ The session brought together a diverse array of thought leaders, innovators, and young voices to delve into the transformative role of artificial intelligence in shaping industries, human potential, and the future of business. With over 250 attendees, the event underscored the growing global interest in AI’s impact on progress. Rajiv Shah, President of IBPG, reflected on the group’s achievements in 2025, including tripling membership and hosting over 30 impactful events, expressing optimism for an even more dynamic 2026. The event featured insights from industry pioneers such as Shekhar Kapur, a visionary filmmaker and Padma Bhushan awardee, and Vishal Mishra, Director of AI Software Engineering at Inception. Young leaders from Abu Dhabi Indian School also shared Gen-Z perspectives on AI’s societal implications. Kapur emphasized the inevitability of AI adoption, while Hamad Al Hamed of Gracia Group highlighted sustainable agriculture initiatives. Varun Wahi, General Secretary of IBPG, stressed AI’s transformative potential across business and society. The event concluded with IBPG and Gracia Group signing an MoU to plant 500 trees in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing their commitment to environmental stewardship. Membership in IBPG is open to Indians, individuals of Indian origin, and corporate entities.
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First robotics debate competition holds semifinals in Beijing
The inaugural China International Robotics Debate Competition reached a pivotal stage as its semifinals were held in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, commonly referred to as Beijing ETown, on Sunday. This groundbreaking event saw four teams secure their spots in the highly anticipated final round, scheduled for November 9. The semifinals introduced a unique cross-team format, pitting human debaters against robotic counterparts from other teams, determined by a random draw. A total of 10 teams participated in this innovative challenge, showcasing the capabilities of their AI-driven debate systems. Unlike traditional debate competitions, the judges refrained from declaring winners or losers. Instead, they assessed the robots across five critical dimensions: logical reasoning, language proficiency, multimodal interaction, skill demonstration, and adaptability. According to the organizers, this evaluation method provides a comprehensive assessment of the robots’ large model training and hardware calibration, highlighting the technological advancements in AI and robotics. The competition not only underscores China’s leadership in AI innovation but also sets a new benchmark for human-machine interaction in intellectual contests. The final round promises to be a thrilling culmination of this pioneering event, drawing global attention to the evolving landscape of AI and its applications.
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From X-rays to road potholes: How India uses AI to improve public services
India is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform public services, focusing on practical applications that improve governance rather than disrupt it. S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, highlighted this approach during his speech at the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit. He emphasized that India’s AI-driven governance model is affordable, open-source, and designed to foster innovation. Krishnan cited specific examples, such as using AI for chest X-ray diagnostics in rural healthcare clinics and detecting road potholes through data collected from food-delivery services. These initiatives are part of India’s broader Digital Public Infrastructure, which includes frameworks like Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface. Krishnan stressed that the open-source nature of these AI solutions allows them to be exported to other regions, such as Africa, without significant licensing barriers. He also called for flexible regulations to encourage innovation, stating that policymakers should trust innovators to address governance challenges effectively. The panel discussion, which included Baroness Joanna Shields of the Responsible AI Future Foundation, concluded that India’s approach exemplifies ‘agentic governance,’ where AI is used to deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
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UAE: Premature AI laws could stifle innovation, warns Kenyan Presidential envoy
At the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit, Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Presidential Advisor on Digital Transformation, cautioned governments against hastily implementing artificial intelligence (AI) regulations. Thigo emphasized that premature legislation could hinder innovation, particularly in developing economies like Kenya. Drawing from Kenya’s experience, he argued that policy should follow innovation rather than precede it. “You have to let people thrive — you don’t get anywhere without trying,” Thigo stated. He highlighted Kenya’s ability to leverage existing infrastructure and build scalable solutions, even without formal university education among many developers. Thigo also underscored Kenya’s commitment to sustainable AI infrastructure, with 92% of its data centers powered by clean energy. This approach, he believes, positions Africa to leapfrog traditional development models by combining renewable energy, community-driven data, and open innovation. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), echoed this optimism, noting that 70% of people in developing nations believe AI will improve their lives. Natasha Crampton, Microsoft’s Chief Responsible AI Officer, stressed the importance of embedding responsibility into AI design and engineering, ensuring innovation is not paused but guided by ethical principles.
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China launches new remote sensing satellite
On November 3, 2025, China achieved another milestone in its space exploration endeavors with the successful launch of the Yaogan 46 remote sensing satellite. The launch took place at 11:47 am Beijing Time from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, located in the southern island province of Hainan. The satellite was carried into space by a modified Long March 7 carrier rocket, marking the 605th flight mission of the Long March rocket series. The Yaogan 46 satellite has successfully entered its preset orbit and is expected to play a crucial role in various fields, including disaster prevention and relief, land resource surveys, hydrology, and meteorology. This launch underscores China’s growing capabilities in space technology and its commitment to leveraging satellite technology for practical applications that benefit society.
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APEC leaders jointly agree on AI vision
The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), with experts emphasizing the need for enhanced regional collaboration and smart governance to ensure the technology benefits all. At the recently concluded Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, leaders and experts highlighted the region’s potential to drive AI innovation and its transformative impact on economies. Nitin Mittal, Deloitte’s global AI leader, underscored the region’s advantages, including its vast talent pool, rapid innovation pace, and substantial infrastructure investments. The summit, held alongside the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, marked a historic moment as member economies adopted a joint AI initiative. This initiative aims to spur economic growth through innovation, enhance AI capabilities, and expand private investment in resilient AI infrastructure. Kim Wan-joong, a special adviser to the 2025 APEC CEO Summit Secretariat, stressed the importance of collective efforts, stating that no single company or country can achieve AI-driven growth alone. He emphasized the need for governments to take a proactive role in fostering collaboration. The potential for deepened AI cooperation between South Korea and China was also highlighted, given their strong trade ties and shared technological ambitions. Lee Young-chan, a professor at Dongguk University, pointed to opportunities for startups in both countries to collaborate on AI research and development, particularly in areas like smart manufacturing and the internet of things. However, Choi Pil-soo, a professor at Sejong University, cautioned against the unchecked substitution of human labor and judgment with AI, urging countries to establish robust AI norms. He called for governments to create mechanisms to manage excessive competition and ensure sustainable AI governance. Mittal echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that AI should not be viewed as a race among nations but as a tool to improve quality of life and drive societal advancement. He lauded China’s AI advancements, noting its potential to benefit the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. The recently unveiled recommendations for China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) further underscore the country’s commitment to AI innovation and its role in shaping the global AI landscape.
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Guangxi emerges as regional hub for AI growth
The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in South China has emerged as a pivotal hub for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, leveraging its strategic geographical position to foster deeper collaboration between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Spearheading this transformation is the ‘AI Super League,’ an initiative launched in July by the Guangxi regional government under the banner ‘AI for All: China-ASEAN.’ What began as a technology contest has rapidly evolved into a comprehensive platform for cross-border cooperation, attracting over 3,300 teams from China’s 31 provincial-level regions and ASEAN member states. Among these, 329 teams from ASEAN are competing in diverse categories, including cross-border e-commerce, cultural tourism, automotive innovation, and modern agriculture. Lu Xinning, a senior official of the Guangxi government, emphasized that the league transcends a mere competition, fostering an innovation community that bridges Guangxi, China, and ASEAN. This initiative marks a significant shift in China-ASEAN cooperation from traditional sectors to the digital realm, promoting inclusive AI development. The event, themed ‘AI Guangxi, AI China, AI ASEAN,’ runs from July to November and has attracted top enterprises, research teams, university students, and individual developers. It actively encourages joint teams between Chinese and ASEAN companies, facilitating industrial integration and exploring AI applications tailored to ASEAN markets. By supporting AI enterprises targeting ASEAN and promoting the integration of AI with the real economy, the league underscores Guangxi’s role as a regional AI powerhouse.
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I built this ‘AI aunt’ for women after family tragedy in South Africa
Inspired by a tragic family incident, South African developer Leonora Tima has created Grit, a groundbreaking digital platform designed to address gender-based violence (GBV) in her country. The app, which features an AI chatbot named Zuzi, aims to provide support, gather evidence, and offer immediate assistance to abuse survivors. Leonora’s motivation stemmed from the brutal murder of her 19-year-old pregnant relative in 2020, a crime that went unnoticed in the media due to the alarming frequency of such cases in South Africa. Determined to challenge the normalization of violence against women, Leonora developed Grit with input from local communities and financial backing from organizations like Mozilla, the Gates Foundation, and the Patrick McGovern Foundation. The app includes three key features: a help button that records audio and alerts a rapid-response call center, a secure digital vault for storing evidence, and Zuzi, an AI chatbot offering guidance and support. Grit has already garnered 13,000 users and received 10,000 help requests in September alone. While the app has drawn international acclaim, experts caution that AI tools should complement, not replace, human empathy and professional counseling. Leonora emphasizes the importance of diverse representation in AI development to ensure technology reflects the realities of its users.
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UAE: How AI is driving cleaner, more efficient access to energy worldwide
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to transform the global energy landscape by enhancing efficiency, accelerating the deployment of cleaner power grids, and expanding access to electricity, according to US Secretary of the Interior Douglas Burgum. Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit, Burgum emphasized the convergence of energy abundance and AI, highlighting the technology’s potential to overcome longstanding infrastructure and regulatory challenges. ‘The electrical grid around the world is generally quite inefficient, and we can use AI to get big increases in the efficiency and reliability of the grid,’ he stated. Burgum also underscored the opportunity to uplift developing regions, where millions still rely on wood for cooking and heating, leading to respiratory diseases. ‘We have an opportunity to lift everybody up — that’s part of this energy addition,’ he added. The discussion also addressed the massive infrastructure required to power the AI revolution, with Burgum pointing to Microsoft’s record $84 billion spending plan for building ‘AI factories’ — large-scale data and compute centers. Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, echoed this sentiment, noting AI’s potential to enhance various sectors, from healthcare and education to clean energy and economic development. Burgum also highlighted the need to cut regulatory bottlenecks to speed up innovation, advocating for accelerated permitting and lower barriers for capital deployment. He tied America’s domestic energy policy to a broader strategy of ‘energy diplomacy,’ aimed at ensuring global stability and supporting allies, including in the Middle East. ‘The US energy policy is about abundance,’ Burgum concluded. ‘We want to have enough energy to be able to sell energy to our friends and allies, so that our allies don’t have to buy from their adversaries.’
