MIND Institute set to transform AI in Africa

The University of Witwatersrand has launched a new institute aimed at pushing the frontiers of fundamental AI research and the scientific understanding of intelligence in its many forms.

The Wits MIND Institute (for Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery), launched on Tuesday night in the new Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, aims at developing cutting-edge technologies tailored to Africa’s unique challenges, through robust interdisciplinary collaboration. It also explores how AI interfaces with society from an ethical and policy perspective, shaping governance and ensuring that AI development is safe, inclusive, and beneficial to all. 

The university says the Institute will collaborate with industry partners to develop high-value, innovative technologies, including large-scale AI models with applications in drug discovery, education, business, engineering, mining, material science and astronomy, amongst others. Among other, it will collaborate with IBM on joint research initiatives, combining expertise and innovation to drive impactful projects. It is currently engaging with market leaders across diverse sectors, including the tech industry, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and logistics.

_{Benjamin Rosman, inaugural director of the Institute and Professor in AI and Robotics at Wits University.}

Focus on fundamental AI science

Unlike many other institutes worldwide that concentrate on developing AI end-user applications, the Wits MIND Institute’s primary focus is on fundamental AI research – the foundational science behind artificial intelligence.

“When most institutions, particularly locally, talk about AI, they often focus on applications,” says Benjamin Rosman, inaugural director of the Institute and Professor in AI and Robotics at Wits University. “At the Wits MIND Institute, we care deeply about how we understand, and can advance, the fundamental science of AI itself to build the next generation of AI right here in South Africa.”

A holistic approach to intelligence

One of the Institute’s distinguishing features is its commitment to studying intelligence holistically, bringing together insights from machine, human and animal intelligence.

“This is what makes the Wits MIND Institute truly unique,” says Rosman. “We aren’t just focused on machine learning or neuroscience; we’re examining intelligence from every angle, with questions such as: What are the processes underlying intelligence – whether in a human, an animal, or a machine? How do different people, animals and machines interact with each other? How can we take inspiration from natural intelligence to build more efficient machines?”

_{Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, vice-chancellor and principal of Wits University, takes a robot for a walk during the MIND launch.}

A hub of interdisciplinary collaboration

The Wits MIND Institute’s model is founded on robust interdisciplinary collaboration and the breaking down of academic silos.

Thirty-four experts from fields as diverse as computer science, engineering, psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, anatomy, creative arts, anthropology, and governance have been selected to serve in the Wits MIND Institute’s inaugural Fellows Programme. This interdisciplinary team will drive the Institute’s mission, working in an environment that encourages the cross-pollination of ideas.

“With the Wits MIND Institute, we are not trying to think outside the box, but rather to take a box, fill it with really smart people, shake it and see what happens,” says Rosman.

The Wits MIND Institute will run deep-dive workshops, seminars, talks, and regular gatherings where the Fellows can interact, find synergies and drive scientific discovery and innovation. 

Rosman says: “By creating a space for these cross-disciplinary interactions, the Wits MIND Institute aims to supercharge AI research in entirely new directions.”

To support these efforts, the Wits MIND Institute plans to appoint new AI Research Chairs across Wits University’s five Faculties. This initiative will help to channel fundamental research into practical applications across multiple fields, ensuring that the Wits MIND Institute’s discoveries benefit various sectors of society.

_{Professor Lynn Morris, deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Wits University.}

Industry-specific innovation

The Wits MIND Institute aims to be a leader in fostering homegrown innovation that addresses Africa’s unique challenges and that positions the continent as a creator and not just a consumer of AI technologies. To this end, the Wits MIND Institute will collaborate with industry partners to develop and incubate groundbreaking technologies.

Dr Charity Wayua, director of IBM Research Africa, says: “At IBM, we are committed to pioneering AI advancements that solve critical challenges and open new frontiers of opportunity across the globe. Our collaboration with the Wits MIND Institute underscores the importance of fundamental AI research that not only advances technology but also reflects Africa’s unique needs and values.” 

Professor Lynn Morris, deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Wits University, says: “Partnerships between universities and industries have proven to be pivotal in developing industry-specific innovation, assessing risks posed by AI, and training talent required by industry to develop, deploy and scale AI solutions.

“The Wits MIND Institute will be a world-class research hub that will partner with industry to help them prepare and become purpose-fit for the age of AI. We want the Wits MIND Institute to be a place where new ideas in AI are connected with real-world applications in a meaningful and ethical way.

“By engaging with policymakers across the continent, the Institute will contribute towards developing frameworks that ensure the ethical and responsible deployment of AI technologies. This means considering how to embed African values in AI systems, and how AI impacts society at large, ensuring that our research supports long-term, sustainable growth and development.”

_{Arthur Goldstuck of World Wide Worx moderates a panel discussion during the Wits MIND Institute launch, with (from left) Dr Aisha Walcott-Bryant (Google), Dr Mark Nasila (FNB), Pelonomi Moiloa (Lelapa.ai), Professor Achille Mbembe (Wits Institute for Social and Economy Research) and Professor Bruce Bassett (Wits University and UCT).}

Seat at the global AI table

Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, says that “Africa needs an institute like the Wits MIND Institute with a bold agenda to push future-shaping AI research and innovation”.

“By developing and deploying AI models and dictating policies that consider the culture and diversity of over one billion people on the continent, the Wits MIND Institute will ensure that Africa has a seat at the global AI table.”