Kibabii University team of scholars has been awarded a US$15,000 (approximately Ksh 2,000,000) research grant by the Future of Life Institute (FLI). The funded project, titled “Evaluating the Impact of AI on Poverty, Health, Energy, and Climate SDGs,” will focus on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving global sustainable development goals (SDGs). It will be spearheaded by Dr. Patrick Owoche alongside other members including Dr. Betty Mayeku, Dr. Lucy Namusonge, and Mr. Morris Sengoh.
The study will focus into the role of AI in enhancing maternal healthcare (MH), specifically targeting the reduction of maternal mortality rates (MMR) which aligns with SDG Target 3.1. This research will evaluate various AI applications that have demonstrated effectiveness, including predictive analytics for forecasting health complications and AI-powered tele-health services that expand care accessibility. The study will also address challenges and limitations associated with AI in healthcare, such as ethical dilemmas, data privacy, the need for vast and accurate training datasets, integration challenges within existing healthcare systems, and cost factors. Additionally, trend analysis and predictive modelling will project the future potential of these technologies up to 2030.
This funding marks a significant achievement for Kibabii University, showcasing its commitment to pioneering research that intersects technology and societal needs. The university community eagerly anticipates the developments from this project, expecting that it will make substantial contributions to both local and global discussions on sustainable development through AI.
