The Centre for AI Research is pleased to announce SACAIR2020, the Southern African Artificial Intelligence Conference: AI Transforming Humanity.

SACAIR 2020, will be hosted as an online digital conference from 22 – 26 February 2021 .

SACAIR 2020 is the second international conference focussed on Artificial Intelligence hosted by the Centre for AI Research (CAIR).  The conference will build on the success of the inaugural conference that was held in Cape Town in December 2019.

The Centre for AI Research (CAIR) is a South African distributed research network that was established in 2011 with the aim of building world class Artificial Intelligence research capacity in South Africa. CAIR conducts foundational, directed and applied research into various aspects of AI through its nine research groups based at six universities (the University of Pretoria, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, University of the Western Cape and North West University).

The theme for this year’s event will be ‘AI transforming Humanity’ and will focus on the following broad areas of Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning, Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Applications of AI, AI for Ethics and Society, and AI for Development and Social Good.

This multi- and interdisciplinary conference is expected to grow into the premier AI conference in Southern Africa and will bring together nationally and internationally established and emerging researchers from across various disciplines including Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Informatics and Philosophy. The conference will also focus on growing a formidable network of talented students working in AI from across Africa.

The programme includes an unconference for students on 22 February (a student driven event for students to interact with each other as well as with sponsors and other possible employers), a day of tutorials on 23 February and the main conference from 24-26 February.