This article was originally published in the Business Daily on 2024-03-07.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of technological innovation. It promises to revolutionise industries and economies worldwide. According to a study by PwC, AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This staggering figure underscores the immense potential AI holds for driving economic growth and prosperity. However, for e-traders in East-Africa, individuals or businesses that conduct retail operations online, to fully capitalise on this opportunity they must not only embrace AI but also make a deliberate effort to understand its dynamics.

Illustration by Neema Iyer

Civic Tech, eGov and Digital Public Goods walk into a bar…

…the bartender asks, “the usual?” then hands them one drink.

"Only while sleeping one makes no mistakes. Making mistakes is the privilege of the active — of those who can correct their mistakes and put them right."
– Ingvar Kamprad (1926-2018)

Six years after his passing on January 27th, 2018, Ingvar Kamprad's vision and values continue to steer IKEA. His 1976 testament and 1996 dictionary laid out principles that fuelled IKEA's growth from a small business to a global furniture icon. As we mark the anniversary of Kamprad's death, his wisdom on leadership, serving people, embracing humility, and simplicity remains as relevant as ever. These documents were not fixed manifestos, but living guides that still motivate and inspire. By revisiting Kamprad's own words, we reconnect with the human core of IKEA's brand - the deeper purpose beyond products and profits. Though Kamprad is no longer with us, his voice carries on.

Since its release in November 2022, ChatGPT, an AI chatbot from OpenAI, has become a viral phenomenon. It can generate human-like text and carry out natural conversations on a wide range of topics. But, what is the origin of the name "ChatGPT"?

I would have liked to present you with a smorgasbord of data from my life in 2023 instead I have a few words, a few pictures, and a few lists. I hope you enjoy them.

"The great truism that underlies the civic technology movement of the last several years is that governments face difficulty implementing technology, and they generally manage IT assets and projects very poorly." – Mark Headd

On 24 January 2023, the US Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust suit against Google for 'monopolizing multiple digital advertising technology products'. On 27 September 2023, Google celebrated 25 years of existence.

In honour of all things Google, I want to argue that Google is not a tech company. Google is an advertising company that uses technology to corner and dominate the ad market.

OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, during an interview in Lagos, Nigeria with David I. Adeleke[^1], highlighted the promise of AI in Africa and introduced RLHF as a potential solution to AI bias. In this piece, we delve into RLHF's implications and how it might address prevalent AI biases.

You might resonate with this story if you've ever had to debug the strangest of issues with technical/mechanical systems;

"Software is eating the world"
– Marc Andreessen, co-author of Mosaic, the first widely used web browser with a graphical user interface; co-founder of Netscape; and co-founder and general partner of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz

In today's world, tech is ubiquitous, and software is the engine that powers it. From streamlining operations to enhancing user experiences, software is a non-negotiable for non-profits. However, the question of whether to build or buy software is a critical one. This article explores the pros and cons of both approaches and offers a hybrid solution that can help non-profits thrive.