ARUSHA: ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how people live, learn and work. From healthcare and agriculture to education, banking and manufacturing, AI is reshaping industries and creating new opportunities.
While some fear intelligent machines could replace human jobs, technology experts in Tanzania believe the greater priority is equipping young people with the skills needed to thrive in the digital age.
That message dominated discussions at the Artificial Intelligence Education Conference in Arusha, which brought together secondary school students, teachers, researchers and technology stakeholders to promote the responsible use of AI in education and national development.
Participants were encouraged to see AI not as a threat to humanity but as a powerful tool for learning, innovation and solving real-life community challenges.
Speaking at the conference, Sustainable CommunityTech Alliance (ComTech) Chief Executive Officer and Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Dr Devotha Nyambo, said AI should be embraced as a technology capable of accelerating development and improving lives through practical solutions.
She noted that countries investing in digital skills today will be better positioned to compete in tomorrow’s knowledge-based economy, making it essential for Tanzania to prepare its young people for a technology-driven future.
“AI is not a threat. It is a tool that helps us think critically, innovate and solve community challenges. We want this generation to use technology responsibly and become part of Tanzania’s digital economy,” she said.
Dr Nyambo explained that ComTech Alliance is working to ensure communities across Tanzania, from rural villages to urban centres, gain access to emerging technologies and the knowledge needed to benefit from them. According to her, digital transformation should not be confined to major cities but should reach every part of the country so that all citizens can participate in the digital economy.
“Tanzania has every reason to be proud of its technology experts because many of us were trained through the country’s education system and are now using our knowledge to create positive change both within and outside the country,” she said.
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“I am proud to be a product of Tanzania. I studied Computer Science here, and today I am using that knowledge to ensure that even a grandmother living in a remote village can benefit from AI.” Her remarks highlighted the growing contribution of locally trained professionals in developing home-grown technological solutions to national development challenges.
Dr Nyambo said ComTech Alliance has already introduced digital technology and AI training in public schools, beginning in Meru District through collaboration with education officers, the Meru and Arusha district councils and the Arusha City Council.
The programme also strengthens teachers’ capacity to guide students in using AI responsibly, effectively and ethically. She noted that teachers remain central to successful technology integration because digital tools are most effective when educators have the skills to use them confidently in the classroom.
The conference was also organised to provide students with a platform to exchange ideas, discuss innovations and cultivate a culture of scientific research beyond classroom learning.
Rather than limiting inventions to exhibitions, Dr Nyambo encouraged students to refine their ideas, test them, register their innovations and eventually secure patents that can generate social and economic value.
“Our expectation is to see students improve their innovations, test them, register them and eventually secure patents that will benefit both themselves and the nation,” she said.
She added that these efforts support Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050, which recognises Artificial Intelligence as a strategic technology for improving productivity in sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education and the blue economy. Dr Nyambo stressed that technological innovation should focus on solving real societal problems while respecting ethical standards, legal frameworks and accountability.
She encouraged young people to become creators of technology rather than passive consumers, saying Tanzania needs innovators capable of developing solutions that improve livelihoods and accelerate national development. The same message was echoed by education leaders, who urged students to begin acquiring AI skills early to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.
Meru District Academic Education Officer said technological advances are transforming economies and workplaces globally, making it important for learners to understand AI and its practical applications while still in school. He encouraged students to use AI as a tool for learning, research and innovation instead of relying solely on technologies developed elsewhere.
“The world needs young people who are innovators and technology creators capable of developing digital solutions that will accelerate national development and strengthen Tanzania’s competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy,” he said.
His remarks reflected the growing importance of digital literacy, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving as essential skills for future employment.
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Artificial Intelligence is already being used worldwide in healthcare, precision agriculture, finance, manufacturing and environmental management. For Tanzania, equipping students with these competencies offers an opportunity to improve service delivery, stimulate entrepreneurship and strengthen economic growth.
Supporting these efforts, The Foundation For Tomorrow (TFFT) Tanzania Country Representative and Executive Director, Noah Kayanda, said the organisation continues investing in education through programmes that empower both students and teachers.
He said TFFT has established Community Learning Centres that provide free access to digital and traditional libraries, computer laboratories, ICT training, entrepreneurship programmes and life-skills education.
These centres are helping young people acquire practical skills needed for today’s digital economy while expanding learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Kayanda emphasised that preparing students for the future requires strong collaboration among government, schools, development partners and technology organisations to improve access to quality education and modern learning facilities.
ComTech Alliance Founder Dr Gladness Mwanga also underscored the need to create platforms where teachers and students can learn about emerging technologies, collaborate and exchange ideas. She said the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence requires education systems to equip learners with practical competencies alongside academic knowledge.
According to Dr Mwanga, Tanzania’s competency-based curriculum reforms provide an opportunity to strengthen innovation by encouraging practical learning instead of rote memorisation.
She said conferences like the one held in Arusha expose students to new ideas while encouraging discussions on AI, digital technologies and innovation that can inspire future research and entrepreneurship.
The inaugural conference attracted participants from 14 secondary schools in Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Iringa regions. Organisers plan to expand future conferences to include schools from other regions, including Dodoma and Tabora, with the goal of bringing together at least 50 schools.
Students who attended the conference shared a positive outlook on AI. Junius Florian from Patandi Special School said AI enables learners to think creatively and develop practical solutions to community challenges. Janelle Dominick from Arusha Science Secondary School agreed, saying AI should be regarded as an opportunity rather than a threat.
“AI is not a threat but a tool that enables us to think critically, become more innovative and solve community challenges. It also expands our knowledge and supports research and innovations that can create employment opportunities in the future,” she said.
Their views reflected the conference’s central message that technology should empower young people to become creators of knowledge, innovation and solutions.
The event also highlighted the importance of partnerships among educational institutions, government agencies, researchers and the private sector in strengthening Tanzania’s digital transformation agenda.
Such collaboration can improve teacher training, expand digital infrastructure and equip students with skills needed for careers in science, engineering, information technology and entrepreneurship.
As countries around the world continue investing in Artificial Intelligence, Tanzania has an opportunity to prepare a generation capable of competing globally while developing local solutions to national challenges.
The Arusha conference demonstrated that this journey has already begun. With students embracing coding, research and emerging technologies, teachers strengthening their digital skills and organisations investing in technology education, Tanzania is laying a strong foundation for an innovation-driven future.
The conference delivered one clear message: Artificial Intelligence should not be feared. Used responsibly and ethically, it can become a powerful tool for learning, innovation and national development, enabling young Tanzanians to improve lives, strengthen the economy and contribute to achieving the country’s long-term development aspirations.