AI Report on Southern Africa http://misa.org Local and international AI research hubs have been established to stimulate the development of Artificial Intelligence industries on the continent. South Africa leads the continent in AI adoption with a robust ecosystem. More than 100 companies in South Africa are either integrating AI solutions into their existing operations or are developing new solutions using AI7. Women in Machine Learning & Data Science (WiMLDS) also have chapters in Algeria, Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Uganda, to engage with and promote women’s participation in AI. WiMLDS is critical in amplifying the voice and input of women in advancing AI, given the concerns raised about the lack of diversity and gender bias in AI8. Furthermore, Both Google and IBM labs have engineered AI solutions to improve food production and healthcare across Africa. Most of the academic and industry research hubs focusing on AI are predominantly located in advanced and wealthy locations, such as Silicon Valley in California however a recent shift to Africa is being witnessed. Some sectors witnessing the most AI applications in Southern Africa are financial services, agriculture, and health care. In financial services, AI is being used to provide credit scoring, fraud detection, customer service, and financial inclusion. In agriculture, AI is being used to optimise crop production, pest control, irrigation, and market access. In healthcare, AI is being used to improve diagnosis, treatment, disease surveillance, and telemedicine. Interactive AI Interactive AI involves interactions between typically text-based AI and humans and is used for communication automation, for example, Chatbots and Smart Personal Assistants. Most financial institutions in the region have AI-powered chatbots that are accessible via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The chatbot can handle banking operations such as checking balances, making transfers, and creating new accounts. The AI revolution has yet to play a significant role in Zimbabwe and its neighbours, but we see artificial intelligence used in interactive chatbots. Many banks, notably Steward Bank, made a big announcement when their chatbot Batsi was launched. Following suit, other financial institutions in Zimbabwe, such as CABS, FBC, introduced their chatbots. Steward Bank’s Batsi is a customer service bot that uses artificial intelligence to respond to customer inquiries in real time. This was the first service in the Zimbabwean banking sector, and Batsi is now available on Facebook, Square Mobile App, and the internet banking platform. During the 2013 Zimbabwe election season, candidates like Fadzayi Mahere saved campaign costs by deploying her own chatbot (Shandu) to distribute her political manifesto and campaign material. It provided people in her constituency with access to information that would otherwise be out of reach. Shandu is another bot that was accessible via WhatsApp. Charlton Hwende, the MP for Kuwadzana East, is using a Facebook Chatbot to allow constituents to report concerns, generate ideas, and schedule appointments with their MP. This bot is an excellent alternative, especially since it serves a purpose after the election. MPs have a history of emerging once every five years to secure votes and then disappearing after the election, but this bot demonstrates Hwende’s determination to stay in contact with his constituency. 25