Data Science for Social Impact
@dsfsi.bsky.social
Data Science for Social Impact research group in the CS Department, U of Pretoria.
Visit us at https://www.dsfsi.co.za
Socials https://linktr.ee/dsfsi
Visit us at https://www.dsfsi.co.za
Socials https://linktr.ee/dsfsi
At #AfriCHI2025, our lead @vukosi.bsky.social asked a the question:
👉🏾 Do Africans really want chatbots?
For us at, it’s a reminder that Africa’s AI future isn’t just about building smarter systems, it’s about building technologies that listen, understand our languages, and reflect our values.
1/
👉🏾 Do Africans really want chatbots?
For us at, it’s a reminder that Africa’s AI future isn’t just about building smarter systems, it’s about building technologies that listen, understand our languages, and reflect our values.
1/
November 12, 2025 at 3:22 PM
At #AfriCHI2025, our lead @vukosi.bsky.social asked a the question:
👉🏾 Do Africans really want chatbots?
For us at, it’s a reminder that Africa’s AI future isn’t just about building smarter systems, it’s about building technologies that listen, understand our languages, and reflect our values.
1/
👉🏾 Do Africans really want chatbots?
For us at, it’s a reminder that Africa’s AI future isn’t just about building smarter systems, it’s about building technologies that listen, understand our languages, and reflect our values.
1/
Reposted by Data Science for Social Impact
For those at MBZUAI in Abu Dhabi, I will be giving a seminar talk tomorrow (13 Oct 2025)
October 12, 2025 at 6:59 AM
For those at MBZUAI in Abu Dhabi, I will be giving a seminar talk tomorrow (13 Oct 2025)
Introducing Kesego Mokgosi: Visiting PhD Researcher with the AI4D African Languages Lab open.substack.com/pub/dsup/p/i...
Introducing Kesego Mokgosi (visiting PhD Student) and an update on "Marito -> Mafoko"
Introducing Kesego Mokgosi: Visiting PhD Researcher with the AI4D African Languages Lab
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Introducing Kesego Mokgosi: Visiting PhD Researcher with the AI4D African Languages Lab open.substack.com/pub/dsup/p/i...
New work out of the Data Science Law Lab at UP - @DataLawAfrica
Working to answer -> Are data scientists in Africa allowed to use copyrighted news broadcasts to train AI and develop technologies for local languages?
Watch -> youtu.be/p-zFzlbhUw4
Paper -> doi.org/10.1080/1360...
Working to answer -> Are data scientists in Africa allowed to use copyrighted news broadcasts to train AI and develop technologies for local languages?
Watch -> youtu.be/p-zFzlbhUw4
Paper -> doi.org/10.1080/1360...
Can African Data Scientists Use Copyrighted News for AI Training? 🌍🤖
Are data scientists in Africa allowed to use copyrighted news broadcasts to train AI and develop technologies for local languages? This is a critical question for innovation in African Natural…
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 10:02 AM
New work out of the Data Science Law Lab at UP - @DataLawAfrica
Working to answer -> Are data scientists in Africa allowed to use copyrighted news broadcasts to train AI and develop technologies for local languages?
Watch -> youtu.be/p-zFzlbhUw4
Paper -> doi.org/10.1080/1360...
Working to answer -> Are data scientists in Africa allowed to use copyrighted news broadcasts to train AI and develop technologies for local languages?
Watch -> youtu.be/p-zFzlbhUw4
Paper -> doi.org/10.1080/1360...
Huge congratulations again to Dr. Mpho Mokoatle on her PhD in Computer Science from UP! 🎓 So proud her groundbreaking cancer research and inspiring journey are featured by the Weekend Argus. Her work in DNA analysis for early detection is truly life-changing!
iol.co.za/weekend-argu...
iol.co.za/weekend-argu...
Dr Mpho Mokoatle: a beacon of hope in cancer research through her PhD in Computer Science
Dr Mpho Mokoatle has emerged as a beacon of hope following her recent PhD graduation in Computer Science from the University of Pretoria. Her groundbreaking research aims to harness advanced…
iol.co.za
September 19, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Huge congratulations again to Dr. Mpho Mokoatle on her PhD in Computer Science from UP! 🎓 So proud her groundbreaking cancer research and inspiring journey are featured by the Weekend Argus. Her work in DNA analysis for early detection is truly life-changing!
iol.co.za/weekend-argu...
iol.co.za/weekend-argu...
Reposted by Data Science for Social Impact
My Inaugural Lecture is now online 🎥
Beyond the Symbols: Natural Language Processing as an Adaptive Problem
I reflect on my journey in advancing AI & NLP for African languages, tackling data scarcity, building communities & imagining inclusive futures.
👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwef...
Beyond the Symbols: Natural Language Processing as an Adaptive Problem
I reflect on my journey in advancing AI & NLP for African languages, tackling data scarcity, building communities & imagining inclusive futures.
👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwef...
September 4, 2025 at 5:58 AM
My Inaugural Lecture is now online 🎥
Beyond the Symbols: Natural Language Processing as an Adaptive Problem
I reflect on my journey in advancing AI & NLP for African languages, tackling data scarcity, building communities & imagining inclusive futures.
👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwef...
Beyond the Symbols: Natural Language Processing as an Adaptive Problem
I reflect on my journey in advancing AI & NLP for African languages, tackling data scarcity, building communities & imagining inclusive futures.
👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwef...
Reposted by Data Science for Social Impact
Next was an excellent talk by @vukosi.bsky.social on natural language processing for low resource languages and the importance of Africans developing their own solutions at @dsfsi.bsky.social youtu.be/hwefANMnSxo?... (5/8)
Beyond the Symbols: Natural Language Processing as an Adaptive Problem - Prof. Vukosi Marivate
YouTube video by Data Science for Social Impact (DSFSI)
youtu.be
September 4, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Next was an excellent talk by @vukosi.bsky.social on natural language processing for low resource languages and the importance of Africans developing their own solutions at @dsfsi.bsky.social youtu.be/hwefANMnSxo?... (5/8)
We’re excited to share that members of our Data Science for Social Impact Lab at UP contributed to UNESCO’s new global report: AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions.
🔗 unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...
@unesco.org
🔗 unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...
@unesco.org
September 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
We’re excited to share that members of our Data Science for Social Impact Lab at UP contributed to UNESCO’s new global report: AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions.
🔗 unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...
@unesco.org
🔗 unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/p...
@unesco.org
Day 4 at the #DeepLearningIndaba was an inspiring mix of research, policy, and community building. 🌍 #DLI2025
August 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Day 4 at the #DeepLearningIndaba was an inspiring mix of research, policy, and community building. 🌍 #DLI2025
Day 3 at the #DeepLearningIndaba was another milestone moment for African AI. 🌍 #DLI2025 @deepindaba 1/n
August 20, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Day 3 at the #DeepLearningIndaba was another milestone moment for African AI. 🌍 #DLI2025 @deepindaba 1/n
🌍 Excited to share a powerful seminar by Dr. Judy Gichoya (Emory Univ): “AI for African Healthcare: Beyond Chatbots Toward Contextually Informed Innovation.”
🎥 Watch: youtu.be/c8b7JjszYi0?...
🎥 Watch: youtu.be/c8b7JjszYi0?...
AI for African Healthcare: Beyond Chatbots Toward Contextually Informed Innovation - Dr Judy Gichoya
YouTube video by Data Science for Social Impact
youtu.be
July 12, 2025 at 10:53 AM
🌍 Excited to share a powerful seminar by Dr. Judy Gichoya (Emory Univ): “AI for African Healthcare: Beyond Chatbots Toward Contextually Informed Innovation.”
🎥 Watch: youtu.be/c8b7JjszYi0?...
🎥 Watch: youtu.be/c8b7JjszYi0?...
UP is breaking the language barrier in academia!
Join the launch of the Translation of Abstracts Project—bringing research to Sepedi, isiZulu, and Afrikaans.
12 Aug, 09:00–12:00, Javett Auditorium or online.
Info: www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/library...
RSVP: up-za.libcal.com/event/14796230
Join the launch of the Translation of Abstracts Project—bringing research to Sepedi, isiZulu, and Afrikaans.
12 Aug, 09:00–12:00, Javett Auditorium or online.
Info: www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/library...
RSVP: up-za.libcal.com/event/14796230
July 11, 2025 at 6:44 AM
UP is breaking the language barrier in academia!
Join the launch of the Translation of Abstracts Project—bringing research to Sepedi, isiZulu, and Afrikaans.
12 Aug, 09:00–12:00, Javett Auditorium or online.
Info: www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/library...
RSVP: up-za.libcal.com/event/14796230
Join the launch of the Translation of Abstracts Project—bringing research to Sepedi, isiZulu, and Afrikaans.
12 Aug, 09:00–12:00, Javett Auditorium or online.
Info: www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/library...
RSVP: up-za.libcal.com/event/14796230
🚨 New Paper Out!
“Cross-lingual embedding methods and applications: A systematic review for low-resourced scenarios”
by Thapelo Sindane, @vukosi.bsky.social, and Abiodun Modupe.
Published in Natural Language Processing Journal.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.nl...
“Cross-lingual embedding methods and applications: A systematic review for low-resourced scenarios”
by Thapelo Sindane, @vukosi.bsky.social, and Abiodun Modupe.
Published in Natural Language Processing Journal.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.nl...
doi.org
July 1, 2025 at 5:27 PM
🚨 New Paper Out!
“Cross-lingual embedding methods and applications: A systematic review for low-resourced scenarios”
by Thapelo Sindane, @vukosi.bsky.social, and Abiodun Modupe.
Published in Natural Language Processing Journal.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.nl...
“Cross-lingual embedding methods and applications: A systematic review for low-resourced scenarios”
by Thapelo Sindane, @vukosi.bsky.social, and Abiodun Modupe.
Published in Natural Language Processing Journal.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.nl...
Reposted by Data Science for Social Impact
Honoured to contribute to the G20 AI Working Group panel on African AI initiatives. Emphasised the need for cross-sector collaboration & funding research to build a strong African AI ecosystem. With @dsfsig.bsky.social & partners, we drive inclusive, ethical AI for Africa’s future.
June 13, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Honoured to contribute to the G20 AI Working Group panel on African AI initiatives. Emphasised the need for cross-sector collaboration & funding research to build a strong African AI ecosystem. With @dsfsig.bsky.social & partners, we drive inclusive, ethical AI for Africa’s future.
🌍 African language innovators — we want your input!
Join DSFSI’s survey to help build better, fairer machine translation & small language models that truly serve our communities. Takes just 10-15 min! 📝
👉 forms.gle/NrDg7kn3jqs3...
#AfricanNLP #LanguageTech #CommunityDrivenAI
Join DSFSI’s survey to help build better, fairer machine translation & small language models that truly serve our communities. Takes just 10-15 min! 📝
👉 forms.gle/NrDg7kn3jqs3...
#AfricanNLP #LanguageTech #CommunityDrivenAI
Machine Translation & Language Innovation in Africa
Welcome! We are excited to invite you to be part of a movement to shape the future of African languages technologies. Across the continent, communities are working hard to make sure African languages…
forms.gle
June 11, 2025 at 6:37 AM
🌍 African language innovators — we want your input!
Join DSFSI’s survey to help build better, fairer machine translation & small language models that truly serve our communities. Takes just 10-15 min! 📝
👉 forms.gle/NrDg7kn3jqs3...
#AfricanNLP #LanguageTech #CommunityDrivenAI
Join DSFSI’s survey to help build better, fairer machine translation & small language models that truly serve our communities. Takes just 10-15 min! 📝
👉 forms.gle/NrDg7kn3jqs3...
#AfricanNLP #LanguageTech #CommunityDrivenAI
🎓 DSFSI Autumn 2025 Graduations: Celebrating Growth, Collaboration, and Impact
We celebrated our latest group of graduates — from honours to PhD — and the many research journeys that reflect DSFSI’s commitment to collaborative and impactful science.
👉 Read more www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/may-gra...
We celebrated our latest group of graduates — from honours to PhD — and the many research journeys that reflect DSFSI’s commitment to collaborative and impactful science.
👉 Read more www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/may-gra...
DSFSI Autumn 2025 Graduations: Celebrating Growth, Collaboration, and Impact
www.dsfsi.co.za
June 6, 2025 at 7:50 AM
🎓 DSFSI Autumn 2025 Graduations: Celebrating Growth, Collaboration, and Impact
We celebrated our latest group of graduates — from honours to PhD — and the many research journeys that reflect DSFSI’s commitment to collaborative and impactful science.
👉 Read more www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/may-gra...
We celebrated our latest group of graduates — from honours to PhD — and the many research journeys that reflect DSFSI’s commitment to collaborative and impactful science.
👉 Read more www.dsfsi.co.za/blog/may-gra...
🎉 The 2025 MIT 808 Big Data Science Exhibition is live!
AI for public health, climate, conservation & law — built by UP students w/ real-world partners.
🔗 Projects: up-mitc-ds.github.io/808exhibitio...
📺 Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
AI for public health, climate, conservation & law — built by UP students w/ real-world partners.
🔗 Projects: up-mitc-ds.github.io/808exhibitio...
📺 Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
May 29, 2025 at 12:02 PM
🎉 The 2025 MIT 808 Big Data Science Exhibition is live!
AI for public health, climate, conservation & law — built by UP students w/ real-world partners.
🔗 Projects: up-mitc-ds.github.io/808exhibitio...
📺 Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
AI for public health, climate, conservation & law — built by UP students w/ real-world partners.
🔗 Projects: up-mitc-ds.github.io/808exhibitio...
📺 Videos: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
🚀 New logo. Same mission.
We’re excited to reveal DSFSI’s updated look — a symbol of our evolution & our values:
💡Collaboration
🤝Responsibility
🧭Openness
✊Agency
💞Generosity
#DSFSI #AI4Good #NLP4SocialImpact
We’re excited to reveal DSFSI’s updated look — a symbol of our evolution & our values:
💡Collaboration
🤝Responsibility
🧭Openness
✊Agency
💞Generosity
#DSFSI #AI4Good #NLP4SocialImpact
May 20, 2025 at 12:50 PM
🚀 New logo. Same mission.
We’re excited to reveal DSFSI’s updated look — a symbol of our evolution & our values:
💡Collaboration
🤝Responsibility
🧭Openness
✊Agency
💞Generosity
#DSFSI #AI4Good #NLP4SocialImpact
We’re excited to reveal DSFSI’s updated look — a symbol of our evolution & our values:
💡Collaboration
🤝Responsibility
🧭Openness
✊Agency
💞Generosity
#DSFSI #AI4Good #NLP4SocialImpact
We post, therefore we are!!
May 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
We post, therefore we are!!