LAGOS – Glotan Research Services, a firm that specialises in the organisation of academic conferences and research publications, has unveiled plans for its upcoming conference in South Africa.

A statement by Prof. Victor Ojakorotu of North West University, Mahikeng, South Africa Glotan Research Services, said that the conference is with the theme: ‘The Implications of Digitalized Artificial Intelligence on African Elections and Socioeconomic Advancement in the Contemporary World.’

The conference is expected to take place between September 11 through 12, 2024 at the Humanities Graduate Centre, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The statement hinted that the conference was aimed at exposing the world and Africa in particular, to know how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could revolutionise elections and contribute to improved socio-economic development on the continent.

Ojakorotu also said that the conference would serve as a platform for researchers and academics to present their research work on a wide range of topics on artificial intelligence and elections in Africa, while also exchanging intellectual know-how, essential experiences, and crucial insights with seasoned guest and keynote speakers.

Besides, the statement said that Prof. Bobby Moroe, South African Consulate-General, Lagos, Nigeria and Prof. Michael Esiefarienrhe, a renowned and erudite scholar in AI at North West University, South Africa speak at the conference.

It said other conference participants are expected to draw from their wealth of knowledge and deep repository as they speak on the role of AI in the diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa and the impact of AI on election integrity in Africa.

Moroe would speak on the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, with a special focus on how AI could serve as a tool for building strong trust between the two countries.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Esiefarienrhe, would focus on the utility and sustenance of AI in election management in Africa.

The statement added: “This conference promises to be great as both speakers unveil how African leaders can deploy digitalised AI to improve the integrity of African elections and diplomatic trust between Nigeria and South Africa.

“The goal of the conference is to ensure that digitalised AI is used to boost Africa’s socio-economic growth while also coming up with more creative ways to conduct general elections on the continent through the presentation of well-researched and problem-solving papers.”

The exhibition would also provide a multidisciplinary congress during the two-day conference event, with the goal of establishing world-class theme practices and standards for the nation.

Particular emphasis would be placed on AI and elections in Africa, as well as how AI has strengthened bilateral and multilateral ties between African nations.

Given that African nations must address challenges of governance and institutional capability in order to create the foundation necessary for AI to flourish, this topic becomes increasingly critical.

In analysing how AI can close the technological divide in Africa, the conference’s theme is not only appropriate but also crucial.

It does this by promoting a problem-driven approach in which local needs and issues are taken into account when formulating AI policies, as opposed to the general “copy-and-paste” method that has impeded the regional development of development strategies.

Africa would benefit from a problem-driven approach in developing strong AI policies that are appropriate for their particular situation, the organisers said.