Over the weekend, Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the state minister for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and National Guidance, encouraged entrepreneurs to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance the success of their businesses.
The minister made these remarks during the 5th Trendsetters Forum, held under the theme “Artificial Intelligence, Your Mind, and Your Business,” at the Sheraton hotel. The forum concluded with the Trendsetters’ Awards gala, where outstanding achievers were recognized in various categories, including Business Trends Heroes, Business Trendsetters in the Private and Public Sectors, and Business Trendsetter Youth.
The event aims to inspire innovation across different sectors.
“Innovation is crucial, not just in ICT, but in all areas of business. AI is the way to go; it simplifies work, enabling businesses to grow and contribute to societal improvement,” Ssebugwawo stated.
She also addressed the issue of unemployment, urging young people to take the initiative. “I don’t want to hear people say that they have nothing to do and that there are no jobs because the government hasn’t provided them. We must create jobs for ourselves; that’s the path to freedom.
Don’t expect the government to employ everyone; there are too many people and too few jobs, and the older generation, like me, aren’t ready to retire just yet. We can work together. I have many ideas, and I won’t fail,” the minister emphasized.
Denis Nabende, the Senior Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Officer at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), emphasized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in business operations.
According to Nabende, AI can significantly enhance media monitoring, client feedback analysis, trend tracking, and customer interaction through tools like chatbots. He explained that AI allows businesses to understand client behaviors, such as when customers come online and when they use services most frequently.
Nabende urged entrepreneurs to leverage AI by registering their businesses and setting up Google Alerts.
“By doing this, you can receive notifications via email whenever someone mentions your business online, enabling you to monitor what is being said and respond appropriately,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of chatbots in customer service, noting that they are essential for maintaining a dialogue flow.
“You can set up frequently asked questions with prefilled answers, eliminating the need to wait for someone to come online and respond manually; AI can handle it for you,” he added.
Nabende also pointed out the value of social media as a rich data source, which has fueled the rapid growth of AI.
“AI’s effectiveness is directly tied to the quality of data available. Understanding that the data you provide is based on what you receive is crucial. If your data is not properly validated and clean, the outcomes you get will reflect biases and inaccuracies,” he cautioned.
Dr Rose Nakasi, who leads the Ocular AI project, a groundbreaking initiative that detects diseases in blood samples, including malaria, announced that her team has secured a Google grant to further their innovative work. Nakasi highlighted the significant impact of this technology, stating that it is accelerating hospital diagnoses.
“The health sector should leverage AI, including automated microscopy, to capture and align imaging and improve confidence in diagnosis. We aim to expand mobile microscopy to other diseases, such as TB detection and cancer,” she said.
Prof. Waswa Balunywa, former principal at Makerere University Business School, emphasized the transformative effect of AI on education.
Reflecting on his time as a lecturer, he remarked, “When I was still at Makerere University, it took us a week to get a single letter on a piece of paper, but with AI, you can do it in seconds. With AI and innovation, you can write a book in a few hours. By utilizing AI, you can generate income because, with it, everything is possible,” he added.
The event also recognized key figures for their pioneering contributions. Former Minister for Lands, Daudi Migereko, along with the late Rupert Scofield and Kibenge, were honored for establishing FINCA Uganda, the first microfinance company in the country.
Joyce Sebugwawo was acknowledged for her role in the private sector and for founding Uganda Women Enterprise. Veteran journalist Bart Kakooza, Asharaf Ssemwogerere, and others were also recognized for their contributions.
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