Oluwatoni Falade: Nigeria Needs AI That Understands Local Languages

At the Mechta мутгу in Gorky Park, international guests are exploring Russian technology developments, discussing applications of artificial intelligence and considering prospects for international cooperation.

Oluwatoni Falade, a Nigerian participant in the Global Digital Forum, told the IT Russia media platform how her perception of Russia changed after arriving for the forum, what risks are associated with the spread of AI, and why locally tailored solutions are particularly important for her country:

– The Global Digital Forum is a very interesting event. At first, I was skeptical about traveling to Russia because of what I had heard back home. But now that I’m here, I can see how different the reality is from the information circulating in my country. I hope the forum will help me expand my professional network and meet new people.

AI is very useful. Many people turn to it to find answers to their questions. They use generative models and other new capabilities offered by this technology. But there are risks, too. At my company, we try to assess those risks and explain why it is important to consider not only the potential of neural networks but also the threats they may pose. Understanding these risks can help users protect themselves. That is why we need to assess both the capabilities and the consequences carefully, as well as develop common standards for AI use.

For Nigeria, localizing AI is particularly important. Around 500 languages are spoken in our country, so we need solutions that account for this linguistic diversity. Nigeria differs from many other countries in significant ways, and technology needs to reflect those differences. We need homegrown technologies and locally relevant content that people can use in their daily lives and that can help the country develop.