Joburg youths shine in global AI contest

Their AI project, City Surveillance System, made the shortlist alongside projects from Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Moldova, China, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the US

Johannesburg - Three teenage girls have competed against thousands of others in a global artificial intelligence (AI) programming festival, and won the event’s country recognition category, each earning about R9 000 and a certificate of global excellence.

They are participants in the SciBono Discovery Centre’s AI for Youth programme, run in partnership with Intel South Africa and Dell Technologies.

The learners at Waverley Girls’ high school Makoma Motloutsi, Unathi Morake and Nomazulu Shwabane won the country recognition award in the Intel AI Global Impact Festival that drew more than 1 000 entries from around the world. Their AI project, City Surveillance System, made the shortlist alongside projects from Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Moldova, China, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the US.

South Africa country lead at Intel Nitesh Doolabh said: “The South African Intel AI for Youth programme is not yet a year old and the fact that students are competing with others whose programmes are established is a remarkable achieve- ment, and speaks volumes about the ability, quality and competence of the South African learners and their instructors. They are flying the South African flag high in programming, innovation and digital intelligence.”

The three girls address community safety in their award-winning AI project. Their City Surveillance System has the potential to increase rates of arrest and give the justice system the evidence it needs to secure convictions. The system uses object, body and face recognition software, and an alert system that notifies police of crimes while they are being committed. Its recording mechanism gives security personnel and prosecutors the evidence to convict criminals.

The Intel AI Global Impact Festival convenes established and emerging programmers from around the world to create technology with the potential to improve the lives of all people, everywhere.

“Artificial intelligence is a technology superpower that emerging technologists can use to build solutions that enrich our lives,” Doolabh said.

ICT manager at Sci-Bono, Zelda Fynn said: “The Sci-Bono Discovery Centre refuses to let South Af- rican learners be excluded from the dynamic and exciting world of artificial intelligence development.”

The Intel AI for Youth programme is putting young Gautengers ahead of the AI learning curve and is delivering exceptional results, such as this win at the Intel AI Global Impact Festival.

The Intel AI for Youth programme at Sci-Bono is delivered in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education as a pilot project at Waverley Girls’ high school, Emdeni secondary school in Soweto and the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre clubhouse, with potential for a national rollout.

The programme gets 13- to 19-year-olds familiar with the technology that is impacting life and defining the future of the world and the global economy. Learners are trained in the world of AI, and also given free rein to programme, trial and introduce applications and programmes of their own innovation.

“It’s a matter of seeking national investment to roll the project out across South Africa to benefit more young people, and to swell the ranks of South Africa’s skilled, experienced and enthusiastic young AI professionals,” Fynn said.