About MAKERERE CENTRE FOR AI
Pioneering AI and Data Science for the Developing World
The Makerere University Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI) seeks to harness the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address Africa’s most pressing challenges and contribute to the improvement of Human Development Indices (HDI) and the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Our work is guided by the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring that AI systems are transparent, accountable, fair, and designed to benefit society. We focus on addressing key gaps in the African AI landscape
Vision
An African continent transformed through responsible AI and Data Science for Societal Good.
Mission
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence, data science, and other advanced technologies to develop innovative and inclusive solutions that empower communities, support businesses and advance society.
Core Values
As Mak-AI, we are guided by the following core values as our ethical and cultural
foundation in the way we conduct ourselves and in everything we do.
Innovation:
We pursue new, creative and impactful solutions to real-world challenges.
Inclusiveness:
We stand against any form of discrimination and promote collaboration across
disciplines and communities to ensure the transparent, accessible and ethical
development of AI solutions.
Integrity:
We uphold the highest standards of accountability, honesty and professional
conduct in all that we do.
Mentorship:
We invest ourselves in the personal and professional growth of younger
generations to promote continuous learning and leadership development.
Our Research Themes
- AI in Healthcare: Developing AI tools for disease diagnosis, maternal health, and tuberculosis screening.
- AI in Agriculture: AI-driven solutions for crop disease diagnosis, agricultural extension services, food security, Earth observation, and crop phenotyping for smallholder farmers.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): Building multilingual tools and resources for African languages; Developing speech recognition and machine translation models for informal contexts.
- AI for Environment and Climate Action: AI models for air quality monitoring, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change adaptation; Tools for measuring and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Objectives
- Advance Research and Innovations in priority AI for Development (AI4D) Areas
- Train MSc and PhDs in thematic AI4D areas
- Enhance AI4D impact through research translation and collaborations
- Strengthen partnerships and collaborations with other AI4D labs
Our Work
01.
Research
Explore how we advance AI-driven solutions through innovative research in healthcare, agriculture, and climate, fostering real-world impact and technological progress.
02.
Outreach & Community Engagement
We empower communities with AI knowledge, workshops, and collaborations to drive inclusive innovation and digital transformation across diverse sectors.
03.
AI-ready Datasets
Providing high-quality, curated datasets to accelerate AI model development, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and ethical data practices for impactful research
04.
Publications
A Showcase of groundbreaking AI research, insights, and findings through peer-reviewed journals, reports, and conference papers for global knowledge sharing.
Our Partners and Funders
