Background

The Kenya Innovation Week (KIW) 2024 intends to champion relevant policy engagements on innovations within institutions while promoting practical skills necessary to create innovations that impact society. The KIW 2024 edition will take place at the Edge Convention Centre, South C, Nairobi from 25th to 29th November, 2024. This year’s edition will be pushing several agendas, key amongst them, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agenda.

Maasai Mara University proposes to run the AI Agenda in the KIW 2024. The motivation for this is the University’s vision and the realization that AI as a strong enabler tool for achieving the University vision and mission. The rapid pace of globalization and technological advancements poses significant challenges to the preservation, accessibility, and interpretation of cultural heritage worldwide. However, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers transformative solutions. AI’s capabilities in data processing, pattern recognition, and adaptive learning can play a pivotal role in cultural preservation efforts. AI has the power to transform cultural heritage preservation by providing tools to analyze, restore, and safeguard artifacts and traditions that are essential to civilizations. This aligns well with SDGs 4, 9, 11, 13, 16 and 17, i.e. Quality Education, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and Partnerships.

For Kenya, leveraging AI in cultural preservation presents opportunities to enhance tourism experiences, preserve cultural heritage, stimulate economic growth, and foster educational advancements. Specifically, Maasai Mara University with its strategic location within the Mau Forest, the great Mara River, Maasai Mara Game Reserve and the rich Maasai culture (strategically referred to as 4M’s) gives it an advantage to tap into these niche areas. Through AI, we can safeguard the Maasai cultural artifacts, promote sustainable tourism, empower local communities, and strengthen international cultural diplomacy.

Rationale

AI is a strong enabler to achieving the University research priority areas dubbed the 4Ms. In particular;

i) There is need for modern methods to realize the Maa Culture preservation. Use of AI in preserving the Maa Culture is quite insightful and of extreme essence globally.

ii) Further, it is intriguing to evaluate the impact of AI in Environmental Conservation. This item resonates well with the University Mau Forest Conservation and Mara River Restoration priority research areas as well as tourism.

Objectives

The primary objective of the Kenya Innovation Week, 2024 for Maasai Mara University Agenda on AI is to explore and promote the application of AI in cultural heritage preservation and environmental conservation through innovations.

The specific objectives include:

i) To mobilize and enhance for links, networks and collaborations in AI-related innovations

ii) Mobilize and enhance for startup investments for AI-related innovations geared around culture, tourism, education, health and environmental conservation

iii) Expose student-innovators to link them to like-minded students, the industry and potential sponsors

iv) Project the institution as a global innovation powerhouse in terms of modern technology