Carnegie Endowment for International Peace recently published “U.S. Development Agencies Should Embrace AI to Transform the U.S.-Africa Relationship,” by Ramsey C. Day, a former USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa and IRI Senior Director for the Center of Global Impact, who’s now with a leading AI technology firm.
Day believes the relationship must move beyond the aid-centric model with its over-reliance on the usual implementing partners and focus more on trade. AI can strengthen trade and investment opportunities by identifying market trends, mitigating risk, streamlining supply chains, and facilitating financial inclusion. The challenges are well recognized, including the digital divide, possible coercive use of AI, and bureaucratic constraints.
You may have your own opinion on Day’s point that USAID’s usual solicitation process emphasizes past performance and therefore does not encourage innovation. Nonetheless, he argues that USAID, MCC, DFC, State, and other funding agencies should support African and U.S. technology firms that will have skin in the game. Day believes political will coupled with leadership from Ambassadors and USAID Mission Directors will energize an urgent transformation given China’s growing role in African trade.
Read the article here.
