Ghana needs AI engineers and data scientists, not just computing infrastructure – Hubtel CEO

Hubtel CEO Alex Bram has called for Ghana to invest in AI professionals alongside infrastructure, warning that the country's shortage of skilled workers could hamper its AI ambitions. Bram emphasized that simply building computing infrastructure won't be enough without engineers, data scientists and technical personnel to develop, operate and maintain these systems.

He stressed the importance of building expertise in machine learning, data science and data centre management as Ghana prepares to establish a national AI compute centre. Bram, speaking ahead of the Digital Economy Forum, noted that while funds for infrastructure are crucial, developing the country's technical workforce should be treated as equally important.

He explained that Hubtel faced difficulties recruiting qualified machine learning engineers when they started developing their own AI systems, despite offering competitive salaries. This highlights a skills gap that Ghana needs to address to compete in the global AI economy. The forum, part of a partnership with Hubtel, will discuss the implications of AI for Ghana's economy and workforce.