Hubtel Unveils AI Lab in Ghana

E-commerce services firm Hubtel has inaugurated its first AI lab in Ghana, aiming to leverage AI, especially machine learning, to enhance user engagement, fortify security measures, and drive revenue growth for itself and its platform users.

Led by Augustine Gyawu Adjei, Head of Engineering at Hubtel, the lab seeks to recommend relevant products, bolster fraud detection, and extend financial services through AI-powered credit assessments.

“Our decision to leverage artificial intelligence stems from careful planning and consideration of myriads of factors to align with company objectives, local and international regulations, and best practices,” Adjei says. 

The short-term objectives include deploying an advanced fraud detection system by Q1 2024 and implementing creditworthiness evaluations by Q2. In the long term, the lab aims to position itself as a continental AI hub, fostering global innovation, driving economic growth, and advocating for ethical AI practices.

CEO Alex Bram highlights the lab's focus on delivering tangible benefits to users, such as smarter fraud detection and personalized financial insights.

“Our AI Lab isn’t just about cool tech, it’s about delivering real value to the users on Hubtel. Imagine safeguarding finances with smarter fraud detection, optimizing utility consumption to help protect the revenues of our key merchants through AI-powered insights, and unlocking new financial opportunities for individuals through accurate creditworthiness assessments. That’s the power we’re harnessing at Hubtel AI Lab,” says Bram. 

Hubtel, known for simplifying everyday transactions and connecting consumers with businesses through its mobile app, aspires to become Africa's leading utility platform, facilitating access to essential services and promoting participation in the continent's digital economy.