OTIC Foundation equips Ugandans with AI skills 

As artificial intelligence (AI) applications and systems continue to proliferate, with widespread use of platforms such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, Perplexity, and Brain Task AI, many people are becoming increasingly wary of being replaced by these technologies.

Nesta Paul Katende, the founder of OTIC Foundation, believes that rather than fearing AI, people should embrace and integrate it into their daily work to boost productivity. Katende emphasizes the foundation’s goal of reaching over one million Ugandans to equip them with essential AI prompting skills.

In partnership with the ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the OTIC Foundation has initiated training programs at the National ICT Innovation Hub. These programs have attracted over 715 Ugandans from diverse professional backgrounds, aiming to make them relevant in their fields amidst the rapid advancements in AI technology.

“We have started the campaign ‘AI in Every City,’ launched last week at the National ICT Innovation Hub in collaboration with the Data scientists Network (DSN), the largest AI technology enterprise on the African continent,” Katende asserted.

Participants are trained in various AI programs, including Microsoft’s Power BI, a business intelligence and data visualization tool, and Python Script, an AI-based machine learning course. Katende likened the significance of AI in today’s world to the steam engine during the first industrial revolution, emphasizing the necessity for people to understand and utilize these systems.

He also highlighted that AI skilling by OTIC Foundation would enable Ugan- dans to establish sustainable businesses using AI technologies, making them relevant as the world transitions into the fourth industrial revolution, with AI as its cornerstone.

Commenting on AI trends, Katende mentioned tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot AI, Perplexity, Brain Task, and Meta AI, which are revolutionizing essay and research paper drafting. Ben Nakireza, head of Business Development at OTIC Foundation, stressed the importance of using the right prompts to get accurate answers from AI systems like ChatGPT and other generative AI tools.

“With AI, it’s no longer crucial to know the answers; what matters is knowing how to ask the right questions,” Nakireza noted.

He further explained that AI cannot replace humans but can take over repetitive tasks, urging people to be creative when using AI.

“AI will task humans to innovate beyond repetitive tasks, making it imperative for us to be creative,” he added.

Katende urged the government to establish regulations that ethically promote AI use, emphasizing the critical role of data in these technologies. He highlighted the importance of preventing data privacy invasion and believes government regulations can mitigate risks associated with AI misuse.

The overall growth in value of the fund is for the most part based on the contributions of its more than 2.4 million registered members, annual recruits, and bitter- sweet returns from its fixed income securities. Not its counterproductive investment policy.