A vibrant AI ecosystem is developing across Middle East and Africa. There is little doubt that it has the potential to be transformative. In Africa over 2,400 businesses are reported to engage in AI (https://cioafrica.co/guide-to-unlocking-the-power-of-generative-ai/). Statista projects that the generative AI market in Africa will grow from $0.89 billion in 2024 to $8.75 billion by 2028 (https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/artificial-intelligence/generative-ai/africa#market-size). More than 30 AI communities, ranging from emerging markets like Sudan and Mali to established hubs like South Africa and Tunisia, are driving this innovation. Universities are further fueling growth by offering AI-related degrees and specializations (https://restofworld.org/2023/3-minutes-with-fatima-tambajang/).
Social innovation and grassroots initiatives are leveraging AI to address local challenges, led by African-driven projects such as Data Science Africa (DSA), which focuses on capacity building and solving local problems through annual events and collaborations with universities. The DSA community, for instance, involves local members in developing AI solutions for health-related issues (https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/using-ai-decolonize-health-care-africa). Other notable initiatives, including Deep Learning Indaba and AI Saturdays Lagos, are contributing significantly to AI research and development across the continent (https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ai-in-the-global-south-opportunities-and-challenges-towards-more-inclusive-governance/). Additionally, Ghana NLP is an open-source project working on natural language processing for Ghanaian languages, starting with Twi and aiming to extend its tools throughout West Africa (https://ghananlp.org/).
The AI sector is receiving substantial attention from governments in the Middle East, and especially the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The leadership of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, for example, have placed a high priority on integrating AI into their national visions and strategic plans, eclipsing most African countries in this regard. According to a PwC report, AI could contribute $320 billion to the Middle East’s economy by 2030, representing approximately 2% of the total global economic benefits expected from AI advancements (https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/publications/potential-impact-artificial-intelligence-middle-east.html). The region is also home to some prominent generative AI (GAI) models, further establishing the region as a key player in the global AI landscape. For instance, the UAE is gaining prominence in AI, highlighted by Falcon, an AI model named after the national bird. Developed with support from Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council, Falcon continues to be trained for a myriad of tasks and languages. Released in September 2023, it quickly garnered recognition as a leading open-source large language model, surpassing offerings from Meta and Google, and marking the UAE’s growing influence in the global AI landscape, to the point of making strong inroads into India [https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-origins-evolution/g42-thinks-it-has-the-answer-to-the-universe/].
In light of the above observations, this special issue aims to document the transformative application of AI in the Middle East and Africa.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Only submissions that describe previously unpublished, contemporary research and practice that are not currently under review by a conference, or another journal will be considered. Extended versions of conference papers must be at least 30 percent different from the original conference works. Feature articles should be no longer than 4,200 words and have no more than 20 references (with tables and figures counting as 300 words each). Articles should be understandable by a broad audience of computer science and engineering professionals, avoiding unnecessary theory, mathematics, jargon, or abstract concepts. For author guidelines, see the Author Information page.
All manuscripts must be submitted to ScholarOne Manuscripts by the deadline, making sure that the specific Special Issue is selected in order to be considered for publication under this Call for Papers. Submissions are subject to peer review on both technical merit and relevance to IT Professional’s readership.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI)–generated text in an article should be disclosed in the acknowledgements section, while the sections of the paper that present AI-generated text verbatim should be quoted within quotation marks and provide a citation to the AI system used to generate the text.
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