Three team CSIR members exhibited at this year’s Southern African Conference of Artificial Intelligence Research (SACAIR). The event took place from 2 to 6 December at the University of Free State, in Bloemfontein.

The purpose of the conference is to promote knowledge sharing through the presentation and publication of academic papers, keynote lectures, plenaries, workshops, networking events and other sessions. It serves as a platform where people from all spheres of the community work together to advance public policy and develop and strengthen international cooperation.

Additionally, SACAIR is a multi-inter and transdisciplinary initiative that brings together nationally and internationally, established and emerging researchers, to focus on growing a formidable network of talented students and industry leaders working on artificial intelligence (AI) from across Africa.

Exhibiting at the CSIR’s stand was researcher from the Network Systems Application (NSA) impact area, Mla Vilakazi, joined by candidate technologist from spectrum access and management innovation, Koketso Makaleng and senior researcher from voice computing, Jaco Badenhorst.

Mla shared his excitement about participating in the event, saying, “Being part of the official opening of the conference as an exhibitor was an honour, as we had the opportunity to showcase the capabilities we offer to various industries outside of the border of South Africa.”

The CSIR’s NSA impact area group exhibited projects developed under the Foundational Digital Capabilities Research platform, a flagship programme of the DSTI.

Reflecting on his experience at the conference, Koketso exclaimed, "The experience of interacting with academics, global and national industry peers within AI was great exposure for me to delve into societal topics that could be solved through the innovations we immerse ourselves in through our daily work. It was also fantastic to elaborate on the Television White Spaces capabilities and demonstrate how this technology can be implemented in rural areas, underserved schools, and remote healthcare facilities to address connectivity challenges effectively."

Connecting and networking with service providers and government departments with digital offerings facing the public provided an opportunity to showcase the CSIR’s expertise in network technologies. These technologies can contribute to bridging the last-mile gap and addressing the digital divide. Ultimately, this was an arching stepping stone in the AI industry.