<\/p>\n
Roundtable Series: AI and International Development \u2013 Perspectives from Belgium and Qu\u00e9bec<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
Episode 2\/6 \ud83c\udf0d<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cAfrica is not a testing ground for our ready-made AI solutions. What if, instead of imposing models, Europe became a true technological bridge?\u201d<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f \u201cYou can\u2019t do plug and play with Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f \u201cAI is already here\u2014how do we prepare rather than react? Anticipating now means avoiding the higher cost of joining the train too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f \u201cAI is not a technological revolution\u2014it\u2019s a human one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f \u201cHow do we align vision, mission, and training to ensure sustainable AI transformation within our organizations?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Gr\u00e9gory Depasse, Chief AI Officer, CGI<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n
This first quote and excerpt shed light on a recurring issue: too often, AI projects replicate models built in Europe or North America without accounting for local realities. The result? A technological debt that hinders innovation and fosters dependence\u2014benefiting no one.<\/p>\n
In this segment, Gr\u00e9gory Depasse calls for a paradigm shift:<\/p>\n
\u2705 Build bridges, not imposed models<\/p>\n
\u2705 Co-create AI that is local, lean, inclusive<\/b><\/span>, and tailored to existing infrastructures<\/p>\n \u2705 Use the European legal framework (AI Act) as a starting point<\/b><\/span>, not an endpoint<\/p>\n \u2705 Position Europe as a partner<\/b><\/span>, not a prescriber<\/b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \ud83d\udca1 \u201cAfrica\u2019s growth potential is enormous. But to realize it, we must build this technological bridge together<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n