Mahmud Adeleye: The African making a difference with AI inventions

In an era where Artificial Intelligence is reshaping our daily lives and challenging societal norms, governments and institutions worldwide are scrambling to ensure this powerful technology is harnessed for the greater good.

One person trying to make a difference through AI is Mahmud Adeleye, a visionary who is at the forefront of developing trustworthy AI solutions.

With a Master’s in Computing Science from Oxford Brookes University, Adeleye's work focuses on crafting AI assistants that individuals, non-profits, and enterprises can rely on, ensuring that AI serves as a benevolent force in society.

His initiatives like IDUNU, Igiwe, and now Interactif.ai are a testament to his commitment to embedding trust and reliability into the fabric of AI technology.

Given the massive amount of data users and organizations supply to AI models worldwide, Mahmud shared his enthusiasm about the reception of his privacy-centric solutions.

“The mind blowing capabilities of AI platforms like ChatGPT have captivated many, leading to a situation where the implications for personal data privacy are often overlooked, even by seasoned professionals within leading global corporations,” he said.

According to him, he has been closely monitoring the increasing concerns and the swift actions taken by tech giants worldwide to safeguard user data and their intellectual property, because “it is crucial to bridge the gap and fortify the safeguards around data privacy in AI interaction.”

A recipient of the Stellar Development Foundation’s Community Fund Award, IDUNU is one of Mahmud’s solutions, which he’s very fond of.

It is used by many NGOs across Nigeria, and there are ongoing efforts to onboard hundreds of NGOs across other African countries like Ghana and Kenya.

This venture began as the "Gift A School Kit" app during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to support underprivileged children in Nigeria during a time when the country's economic challenges hampered traditional fundraising efforts.

Offering a cost-efficient fundraising model with negligible transaction fees ensures that donations fully reach their intended targets. Utilizing AI to enhance security and trust through anomaly detection and data privacy measures ensures the safety and anonymity of beneficiary information. This innovative approach has significantly boosted partner NGOs' donation rates by an average of 75%, a testament to the platform's efficacy in resource mobilization.

"We've utilized AI to enhance security and trust, ensuring the safety and anonymity of beneficiary information," Adeleye notes, emphasizing the transformative power of AI in ensuring that beneficiaries’ privacy is kept intact and donations are efficiently used.

At the heart of Mahmud Adeleye's commitment to digital privacy lies the robust protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)—data that can uniquely distinguish one individual from another.

This includes but is not limited to names, addresses, email and telephone numbers, dates of birth, passport and driver's license numbers, and sensitive financial information such as credit or debit card details and Social Security numbers. Personal user information is included in over 60% of data breaches.

"Igiwe stands as a testament to our commitment to user privacy, operating without ads, data recording, or sharing, and requiring no account or login," Adeleye proudly states.

This multilingual AI assistant caters to many user needs, enhancing daily workflows with ease.

Inspired by his notable achievements with IDUNU and Igiwe, Adeleye co-founded Interactif.ai, targeting the development of a privacy-focused, full-stack LLM platform for enterprises.

This platform is dedicated to enabling businesses to create conversational AI assistants trained on their data, safeguarded by real-time PII protection.

Mahmud Adeleye's journey from founding a non-profit during a global crisis to leading the charge in privacy-centric innovation exemplifies the potential of technology to create positive change.

Adeleye's vision and relentless pursuit of integrating AI not only address pressing needs but also pave the way for a future where technology is synonymous with trust and integrity.

"Our goal is to inspire a wave of innovation where technology serves the greater good, anchored in trust and efficiency," Adeleye stressed while envisioning a brighter future empowered by safe and trustworthy technology.